Pretty and Perfect
by BehindGrayEyes
Summary: This is a sequel to Sugar and Spice by Misha. Rory has a twin sister, Christa. Together they go to Yale and while Christa runs into old friends, Rory starts to make new ones. Sisters and best friends, Rory and Christa are there for each other through everything. Boys may come and go, but twins are forever.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own any characters on the show or the dialogue used in the show.**

**Author notes: - this is a squeal to Sugar and Spice by Mischa. There's also a one shot that comes before this story called New Beginnings****.**

**Pretty and Perfect**

**Say Goodbye to Daisy Miller**

I pulled my car to a stop outside the house that my twin Rory had grown up with our mother, Lorelai. I didn't think anything could derail my euphoric mood. Finally, after years of dreaming my mother was opening her own inn with her best friend and business partner, Sookie. That night was the first test run and they had invited the entire town. I was so proud of her, of them. I climbed out of my red Porsche, a graduation present from my paternal grandparents, Francine and Staub Hayden. I saw the light on in Rory's bedroom and smiled to myself. She had left the Dragonfly Inn an hour ago to find CDs for mom. I opened the door and it banged as it opened.

"Rory!" I called out to her as I rushed inside. "Oh, my God. You're missing everything." I ran up the stairs to where my mom's room is. "Grab those CDs and head back to the inn before you miss the cross-dressing midgets. That's where the night is headed. Oh! Things are happening - big things, wow things. I have so much to tell you." I ran around grabbing bandages and the camera on her side table before running back down stairs two at a time. "Let me just open with this little tidbit - Kirk running naked through the square. Of course, with all her careful planning and preparation, mom forgot to bring Band-aids and a camera. I have got to learn that, always, without fail, Kirk equals camera." I rushed to the bottom and saw Rory standing alone in the kitchen, looking dishevelled. "Hey, what's going on?"

"Dean came over to borrow something." My twin sister stammered just as her ex-boyfriend Dean exits her bedroom, looking equally as dishevelled.

"Yeah. Thanks." Dean said nervously, glancing around the kitchen like he can't look either of us in the eye.

"You're welcome."

"So, um, I should go. Um...bye, Christa." Dean replied as he practically ran out the backdoor, leaving me glaring at my sister and her looking at the ground guiltily.

"So, I'm almost done getting the CDs together. I picked a wide selection so we'd have choices, and then I picked a bunch that probably only you will like, but it's good to have options." Rory said guiltily as she went back into her room and I followed her. I sighed as I noticed the rumpled bed. The comforter and pillows were all askew and the teddy bear that normally sat on Rory's perfectly made bed was thrown carelessly on the floor. I picked up the bear a placed it on the desk besides me.

"So, what did he borrow?" I asked her, knowing that she was lying. Rory turned and looked at me with wide eyes. I raised my eyebrows in question at her. It was completely oblivious that Rory and Dean had just had sex.

"I'm sorry I didn't talk to you about it first. I know I promised I would, but I swear, I didn't know that this was going to happen. I mean, I didn't know he was going to show up tonight, and it just happened." Rory said in a desperate tone. "It's awful for you to find out like this, I know, but everything's okay. I'm okay, and we were, you know, safe. So all those Trojan man jokes all these years really apparently stuck. And I'm lucky, too, because Dean, he's - well, aren't you glad that it happened with someone who's good and really loves me?" she asked as she noticed my disapproving expression. I knew that my lips were pursed and my eyes screamed disappointment.

"But he's married." I stated matter-of-factly, picking back up the teddy bear.

"You don't understand the situation." Rory argued with me, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Is he still married?" I asked her with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes, but – "

"Then I understand the situation." I interrupted her before she could start defending her actions. I may be many things but even I wouldn't sleep with a married man.

"It's not working out between them. They're not happy." Rory told me defiantly. I looked at her in pity as I put the stuffed bear back on the desk.

"Oh, Rory."

"He tried the best he could, but it didn't work. It's over." She continued, ignoring me.

"He told you that?" I asked her with a sigh, highly doubting that he did.

"Yes."

"He told you he's leaving her?"

"Well –"

"He told you he's moving out, they're getting divorced, he's got a lawyer, they've divided up the monster-truck season tickets?" I asked over her as I took a step closer to her.

"We didn't get around to discussing everything." She said a little angrily as she walked around me. I followed her through the kitchen and into the hallway.

"You didn't get around to discussing everything?" I half-yelled at her as we stopped and looked at each other.

"It was a crazy night."

"You, of all people - the girl who thinks everything through, the list maker - you didn't bother to discuss those things before jumping into bed with a married guy?"

"He's not a married guy. He's Dean - my Dean." She said defiantly.

"He's not your Dean. He's Lindsay's Dean. You're the other woman." I argued with her, pointing at her at further prove my point.

"I told you, it's over."

"It's not over until he's out of the house with the ring off."

"He took the ring off."

"He's in love with me, not Lindsay." Rory argued with me and I just looked at her incredulously.

"Does Lindsay know that?"

"She's not good for him, okay? She lets him quit school and work himself to death and –"she started but I cut her off.

"No, Rory, uh-uh, you can't be one of those girls who blames the wife for forcing the husband to cheat."

"He wasn't cheating."

"He was cheating, Rory. He was cheating, and you were cheating with him. There's no other way to spin that, twin." I pointed out to her, desperately trying to get her to see reason.

"I'm not spinning it!" she screamed at me. "I don't want to talk about it anymore."

"I just want what's best for you, that's all!" I yelled at her with pleading eyes.

"I don't want to talk about it!"

"I just don't want you to get hurt, Rory. What if he doesn't leave her? Now you're all emotionally involved."

"Because you're an expert in emotional involvement." She replied sarcastically. "You're just mad because I didn't come running to you to discuss whether or not I was ready for this step. I decided it on my own."

"Well, obviously, you weren't ready for this step. The very fact that you chose another girl's guy to sleep with proves that!" I screamed back at her, ignoring that slight dig at my relationship status. She was right in a way. I did choose to have causal relationships.

"He was my boyfriend first!" she argued. I gave her a look because she and Dean dated nearly two years ago. Rory had even had a serious relationship with Jess Marino since then.

"But you dumped him! You rejected him! You picked someone else!" I reminded her of her relationship with Jess.

"Stop it!" Rory screamed at me before walking away.

"Rory!" I follow her and yell after her but she keeps walking until says in the middle over the front lawn.

"I hate you for ruining this for me!" Rory screeched at me, not even turning around.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. "One..two..three..four..five.." I counted under my breath before opening my eyes again. I saw Rory on her phone and I frowned, knowing that she was calling Dean. I watched as Rory hung up the phone and sunk to her knees on the wet, dew covered grass. Only I could do was watch as my darling twin sister sobbed and sobbed as I stood and watched hopelessly. I slowly approached Rory, bent over her and gently touched her shoulder.

"Hey." I said softly but Rory flinched at my touch and I quickly removed my hand from her shoulder. "Let's just talk."

"No." she said as she stood up and stumbled back into the house. I frowned as I watched her and pulled out my own cell phone from my pocket. I pressed speed dial 2 and waited climbed into my car, knowing that Rory wouldn't want me here. I knew that Rory would hate me for doing this but I just had to. My perfect twin sister sleeping with her married ex-boyfriend was so out of my league. I needed back up.

"Hey, sweets." My mother said cheerful as she answered the phone. I took a deep breath and released it.

"I need to tell you something."

* * *

After telling mom about Rory and Dean I drove back to the Dragonfly Inn. It was late and I wasn't expecting anyone to be up but as I entered the front door and saw Sookie, my mom's best friend/business partner/chef, standing next to a couch with Luke Danes, the owner of the local diner. When I saw them, I approached them curiously. As I got closer I saw that they were standing over a figure, lying on the couch. Covered in only a blanket, Kirk was lying on the couch.

"They were after me, so I ran away." I heard Kirk tell them as I got closer. They all looked up as I came closer, an amused smile playing on my lips. Kirk was beyond crazy, but very entertaining.

"Who was after you, honey?" I asked him curiously.

"Assassins. He thinks assassins are after him." Luke answered for him and I shot both him and Sookie a confused look. Sookie looked just as confused as me and Luke looked annoyed. But then again, Luke always looked annoyed or irritated.

"They were under my bed in my room, so I ran, and they followed me down the hall, down the stairs, past Luke and Lorelai kissing, through the yard, over that fence." Kirk explained to us all. My eyes widen as I caught the part about my mom and Luke. Sookie rolled her eyes and smiled in disbelief but Luke looked distinctly uncomfortable.

"Well, the assassins are gone now, Kirk." Sookie told him, as if speaking to a child.

"I imagined them?"

"I think so."

"What about Luke kissing Lorelai?" Kirk asked innocently.

"I think you imagined that, too." She chuckled but then she glanced at Luke and did a double take when she saw his expression. I smiled at him coyly as I looked at him too. I really liked Luke and if he made mom happy then I'd be all for it.

"They looked so real." Kirk said faintly as he lay back down on the couch. Sookie didn't take her eyes off Luke.

"Okay, Kirk, you just settle down and relax, and I'll be right back." She said before grabbing Luke's shirt and dragging him away from the sofa and out of earshot. I followed behind them gleefully. "Ohh." She gasped and clapped her hands silently.

"Oh, my God!" I added, equally as excited as Sookie.

"You kissed?" Sookie asked him in a high pitched voice.

"Yes." He answered while trying to supress a grin. Sookie and I both let out little squeals of delight.

"I can't believe she didn't tell me. Why didn't she tell me?"

"It just happened."

"Ooh, Luke, that's wonderful!" Sookie squealed again and pulled him into a big hug.

"Thanks." He said with a chuckle. When Sookie let him go, he turned to me and I pulled him into a hug as well. I felt his chuckle go through me.

"I take it you approve, then?" he asked me somewhat shyly. I playfully slapped his arm and grinned.

"Of course I approve. You have all the coffee." I joked and both Sookie and Luke chuckled. "No seriously, with you make mom happy then that great." I told him honestly and he smiled his thanks.

"I can't wait to tell Lorelai it's wonderful!" Sookie said with a giggle and I laughed with her, unable to contain my excitement.

"Um, could you maybe not say anything for a little while?" Luke asked us and we immediately stopped short of jumping up and down on the spot.

"Why?" I asked him with a tilt of my head.

"Well, I'm just not so sure she wants this out yet."

"What makes you think that?" Sookie asked him.

"Do me a favour and keep it to yourself. Let her tell you if she wants to, okay?"

"Sure. Okay. Call me Belinda, 'cause my lips are sealed." I answered for both of us and Sookie nodded in agreement.

"Thank you." He said with a chuckle.

"Hey, Luke?" I called out as he started to walk away. He stopped and turned back around to me and I smiled at him happily.

"Yeah?"

"This is good." I tell him honestly before exits to go and find my mom.

* * *

The next morning I was talking animatedly in the kitchen with Sookie about mom and Luke. Sookie was busy making breakfast for everyone and I was drinking a giant cup of coffee and leaning against a bench, trying to keep out of the way of the people hurrying around the kitchen. Sookie and I both stopped talking immediately as mom entered the kitchen.

"Hey, Sookie, what did you want to talk - Oh my!" mom said not noticing the silence, and then getting pulled into a hug by a squealing Sookie. I laughed as the chef's excitement got the better of her and also at my mother confused expression.

"I'm so happy!" Sookie squealed happily.

"I'm so glad you're so happy! Is this is a normal happy or was there cooking sherry involved?" mom asked her friend in confusion.

"I promised I wouldn't say anything, but I can't help it! It is so wonderful. Do you know how wonderful it is?" she asked in a rush and picked up another cup of coffee and handed to mom as I came up next to them.

"No, no, I don't, but I would love to weigh in." she told Sookie as she gratefully accepted the cup I offered her.

"You're with Luke!" Sookie practically screamed happily. Mom looked over at me, obviously not wanting me to know that fact yet but I just raised an eyebrow at her.

"Ah, how did you know?"

"Luke told me."

"Actually Kirk told us." I told her quickly, not wanting Luke to get in trouble and ruin his chances with mom.

"Kirk told you?"

"He saw you. He saw you kiss Luke. Oh, my God! You were kissing Luke!" Sookie explained excitedly, clapping her hands together. I laughed at her excitement because I knew that Sookie wanted mom and Luke together just as much as I did.

"Well, Sookie, I –"

"I am so glad! You two are perfect for each other. I have always thought that someday, if you just sort of turned around and opened your eyes that you'd see it, and now that you have, I'm just so damn happy."

"Well, I'm –"

"You're not gonna die alone. I mean, somebody will be there. Somebody will know. Somebody will find the body and call the police and –"

"Yes, that is a relief. I can't believe Kirk saw us. I thought he was asleep." Mom interrupted Sookie's rant before she could really get started. I watched for scene in front of my in amusement.

"Don't worry. I convinced him he was dreaming it all, so I don't think he'll say anything. I know you're concerned about that. Why are you concerned about that?" Sookie asked mom in confusion and I turned my attention to her as well.

"Who said I was concerned about that?"

"Luke - he asked us not to say anything. He said he wasn't sure if you wanted it out. Why wasn't he sure if you wanted it out?" I asked her with a frown.

"I don't know." She answered with a frown of her own.

"How was it?" Sookie asked coyly and I smile slyly and leaned forward to hear the answer as well.

"How was - ?"

"You know. Was it on top of a table? 'Cause I always thought it would be on top of a table - oh, like in "Bull Durham"!" I asked excitedly and clapped my hands in happiness. Sookie laughed at me and mom shot me a look.

"There was no sex." She said pointedly. Sookie and I exchanged a glance before looking back at mom.

"No sex? Why no sex?" Sookie asked, and then gasped before finishing, "Can't Luke?" she asked knowingly and I burst out laughing.

"I'm sure he can. There was no time. Everything happened so fast. We were here with the town - and my parents flipping out and Jason showing up. Oh, no! Jason! What happened to Jason?" she asked about her 'boyfriend'. They had broken up about a week ago because Jason and granddad hated each other and too much became too much for mom. I frowned at the mention of his name. I wasn't a big fan of Jason's.

"Oh, his condo was on fire." Sookie said matter-of-factly and I smirked because I already knew what had happened.

"It was?" Mom asked in concern, making me roll my eyes at her.

"Well, that's what Michel had me say when we called his cell phone." Sookie said cheekily, but then frowned when she saw mom's expression. "Hey, you don't seem happy."

"About what?" she asked us.

"About Luke!" I exclaimed in a happy tone, giving her a little playful nudge.

"Of course I'm happy about Luke. It's just new. I'm still processing it, that's all."

"But he knows you're happy, right? I mean, he knows you're processing, but once you process, there's gonna be sex, right?" Sookie asked in concern.

"He knows. I think he knows. He should know. I hope he knows."

"Well, make sure he knows, okay? Because you two together –"

"Equals getting to the morgue before I smell. I got it."

"Okay." I said in a giggle and Sookie and I both hug mom again.

* * *

After talking with Sookie, mom and I walk through the inn arm in arm to check that everyone was enjoying themselves. We were giggling like school girls over Luke when we entered the lobby and noticed Rory behind the desk. Mom had informed me that Rory knew that I had told her and I really wasn't looking forward to seeing her. Mom and I exchange a look before walking forward together.

"Hey. Finish your breakfast already?" mom asks her casually.

"Yeah, I was just leaving you a note." Rory explains to her, not even looking my way.

"Oh, you kind of wolfed it down, there."

"I'm a light eater."

"So, um, you leaving?" I asked her nervously. I really didn't want my twin angry at me but I needed to tell mom. I just hoped that one day she understood that.

"Yep." She answered shortly, still not looking in my direction. I sighed and leaned against the front desk as Rory started handing towards the door. Mom looked at her and cocked her head to the side.

"Rory, don't you want to talk?"

"We already did."

"Oh yeah, but you didn't hear what I wanted to talk about, which was how Jackson is probably gonna have to dislocate several of Davey's limbs trying to pry him away from Patty and Babette."

"I have to go." was all Rory said in reply as she started walking towards the front door.

"Rory, can't we just sit down for a second and talk about this?" I asked desperately.

"I already heard everything you had to say last night." She said to me with a deadly glare in my direction.

"You know what? Fine. I give. It's your life. Do what you want." I said, throwing my hands up in defeat.

"Thank you."

"You're 19. You know what you're doing." Mom added, apparently had enough of her bullshit as well.

"I do know what I'm doing." Rory insisted, and I gave an incredulous look. Since, I didn't have any new opinions on the subject a decided to stay silent and let mom deal with Rory. Rory had lived with mom her whole life, while I had lived with dad. It came to reason that mom would be the best to get through to her, even though we were twins. We had lived together last when we were freshmen at Yale but both the Lorelai's had a scared bond that I couldn't even begin to understand. Sometimes that made me jealous but I knew that I had a bond with dad that Rory wasn't apart of so it kind of equalled out.

"So you don't want to talk. We won't talk."

"Good."

"I wasn't thinking we had to talk like mom and kid. I thought we could talk as friends, but hey, forget it."

"I will."

"Not that I take back what I said."

"That's your prerogative." Rory replied with a huff.

"I mean, he's married, and as your friend, I have every right to point out the obvious."

"Which you did twice now."

"Okay, and I stand by it, though I felt maybe I could help you figure out how to handle this as your friend who you usually turn to to help you figure out how to handle things, but if you don't want to talk, then fine."

"Great."

"We won't talk."

"Love the thought."

"Don't worry about me nagging you to talk anymore. I'm out."

"In fact, I'm really busy, so if you did change your mind –"

"Which I won't."

"Okay. But if you did, I'm sorry. I can't help. Taylor lost a shoe, so get in line."

"Any end to this speech in sight?" Rory snapped at her.

"Bye." mom snapped back and Rory basically ran out the front door of the inn. Mom huffed and turned back to me. I tilted my head as I looked at the door Rory just exited out of.

"Remind me again how I'm the slutty one, when she's the one who slept with a married guy?" I asked innocently. Mom's gaze snapped around to me and I smiled apologetically and mouthed 'sorry'.

* * *

After the 'talk' with Rory I really needed to get out of the inn for a little while so I decided to walk to Luke's and get coffee since he had the best coffee. When I entered the diner I couldn't see Luke anywhere but I could see that the phone cord was being stretched and the phone wasn't on the cradle on the wall, so I assumed that he was using it. Not seeing anyone around, since most of the town was still at the inn for the test run, I smiled to myself and walked behind the counter. I was feeling like a rebel because Luke didn't let anyone except employees behind here. I grabbed the coffee holder and cup and poured myself a huge cup. Just as I put the jug down, someone rounded the corner.

"Hey!" Luke shouted at me and I hurried back over to the other side of the counter. I smiled innocently and sipped the delicious coffee. "What is it with you and your mother coming behind the counter?" he asked rhetorically as he put the phone back on the cradle.

"It's because we're not allowed to." I answered him plainly. He shot me a look and I just smiled back at him. "Who was on the phone? Mom?" I asked coyly and then laughed when he blushed.

"Shut up." He grumbled but he was smiling a little. He grabbed me a blueberry Danish without being asked and placed it in front of me. "You sure you don't mind me seeing your mom?"

"Of course not." I assured him with a smile. "Sookie and I had a bet as to when you two would hook up. I won, by the way. Plus, I was serious about you being the one who controls the coffee." I told him honestly and held my empty coffee cup up at him with a pout when I mentioned coffee. Luke rolled his eyes at me but refilled my cup anyway.

"That will kill you, you know." He reminded me as he always did.

"But I'd die happy." I countered with a happy sigh as I smelt of fresh coffee. Just then my cell phone rang and I pulled it out. Luke cleared his throat and pointed at the no cell phones allowed signed. Now I rolled my eyes and gestured to the empty diner. "There's no one here!"

"Fine, just this once." Luke agreed gruffly. I smiled and flipped my phone open after checking the caller ID.

"Hi, mommy. Guess where I'm using my cell phone." I said in greeting. I heard my mother gasp on the other end.

"Are you using a cell phone in Luke's?" she asked me in mock awe.

"That I am, mother dearest. He must really want in your pants." I teased both her and Luke.

"Hey!" they both said at the same time, making me chuckle.

"What's up, mom?" I asked her seriously.

"Your grandmother's here for lunch." Mom replied reluctantly and I groaned out loud.

"Do I have to be there?" I asked, hopeful that I didn't.

"If I do, you do." Came her not unexpected answer.

"Fine. I'll be back soon." I said begrudgingly, not really wanting to leave mom alone with both Emily and Rory.

* * *

Rory, Emily, mom and I were all sitting at a table outside at the Dragonfly. No was talking so all you could hear was birds chirping in the distance and the new horses neighing in the close by stable.

"The weather's lovely." Emily is the first to break the silence. Mom and I exchange a look and Rory just continues to push food around her plate.

"Yes, it is." Mom finally agrees after a tension filled minute of silence.

"Rory, don't you think it's lovely?"

"It's very lovely." Rory agrees with them both in an emotionless voice.

"Yes." Emily says and then looks around the inn grounds. "Lovely. Well, I don't see any reason to put this off any longer. Girls, I have something to say that may shock you, but unfortunately there's nothing I can do about that now. Lorelai, Rory, Christa, Richard and I have separated."

"And?" I asked her, because we already knew. But I don't think Emily knew that we knew.

"What do you mean "and"? That's not enough? You need some sort of mob-related offing to make it interesting?"

"No, Mom, that's plenty. It's just, we already knew." Mom explained to her.

"Rory didn't." Emily argued with a shake of her head.

"Well, I mean, I didn't know know –"

"Why would you tell her?"

"Mom!" mom said in indignation.

"Who else did you tell?" Emily demanded.

"So, you haven't read "Page Six"?" mom said sarcastically and I covered a smile by taking a sip of water.

"Rory, if you need to talk about this to try to understand why this is happening, then by all means, do not ask your mother." Emily told her favourite granddaughter and I just rolled my eyes.

"Okay, Mom, I'm sorry. I'm not trying to be insensitive. It just seemed like a thing you and Dad were going through. I figured you'd make up." Mom tried to explain again.

"Well, we didn't."

"I see that. So, wow, you're really separated?" mom asked sadly.

"That's right. Your father's moving into the pool house."

"So then you're not separated." I said, speaking for the first time since I sat down. Emily looked at me in confusion.

"Of course we are."

"You're separated by the pool."

"I'm sorry, Grandma." Rory said before Emily and I could really get into it.

"Well, what's done is done. I'm moving on. And to celebrate the next stage of my life, I'm going to Europe by myself for the very first time since I was in college. I'm leaving tonight." Emily said happily.

"Tonight? That's fast." Rory stated.

"Well, I wanted to leave quickly, so I called my travel agent and insisted that he put me on tonight's plane to Paris no matter what. He finally managed to bump someone from a church group, and I've got my seat, and I'm leaving at 10:00. And, Rory, my offer to you still stands."

"What offer?" Rory asked confused.

"My offer to escort you around Europe this summer." Emily explained with a smile. I grimaced at the thought of spending the summer with Emily. I watched as mom's lit up at this and she watched Rory's reaction closely. "Every young lady should do Europe the proper way at least once in her life, and I would be thrilled to have your company on this very special occasion. Of course, I know it's very short notice, so if you already have plans for the summer, I completely understand."

"You know, I think Europe sounds great. I think you would really enjoy that. I mean, remember - we loved Paris. You don't have anything special planned for the summer, do you?" mom asked innocently and I bit back a smile because I had guessed what she was trying to do.

"No, nothing special." Rory answered them both, giving mom an odd look.

"Well, then? What do you say? Would you like to be impulsive with me?" Emily asked her excitedly and I smiled slightly at the excitement in her eyes.

"Sure, Grandma, I'd love to." Rory finally said and Emily's face broke out in a smile.

"That is just wonderful! I'll call Ralphie right away and tell him to bump another Baptist. We'll have a wonderful time, you and I. It'll be just like "Gigi." Lorelai, I'm gonna use your phone." Emily told us as she stood up and gave Rory a hug.

"Be my guest, Mom." She said before Emily wondered back inside to use the phone. Mom looks back at Rory, who was shooting daggers with her eyes. "Europe, cool." She said and I laughed at the situation.

"So, what is this, a Henry James novel? The young lady acts up, and her family ships her off to Europe?" Rory asked her.

"Oh, come on." I sighed.

"How fast did you tell Grandma that I had nothing to do this summer?" she asked, ignoring me.

"I'm not shipping you off." Mom protested.

"Oh, please!"

"I'm not. I'm just - okay, maybe I am." She said reluctantly. "I wasn't planning on it, but maybe in the back of my mind, I just thought –"

" - Say Goodbye to Daisy Miller." Rory said angrily.

"Goodbye Daisy Miller." I said cheerfully and Rory glared at me.

"Not helping." Mom told me plainly and I shrugged and sipped my drink.

"Okay, fine, so maybe I suggested the trip to give you some time to –"mom started to explain to Rory.

"Travel back to the turn of the century?" I suggested helpfully.

"To think - but you did not have to accept." She finished, ignoring my comment.

"I did too." Rory replied to her.

"No, Rory, you didn't. You're 19 now, remember? You're all grown up, and you can handle your own affairs." She retorted and I snorted at her word choice. "Sorry. That's a bad choice of words. You can handle your own life events, so if you didn't want to go to Europe, all you had to do was say you didn't want to go, but you didn't, so I assume you do want to go." she said but then saw the look on Rory's face. I saw it to and got a little worried.

"You do want to go? How come? I mean, what about Dean? You're just gonna go off and leave now?" I asked her seriously.

"None of your business."

"Did something happen? Did you guys have a fight, or is it something else? Is it Lindsay?" mom asked, equally as worried about her.

"We didn't have a fight. Everything is fine with Dean. I want to go so I can get away from you two." She replied, acting bratty.

"I'm sorry, weren't you supposed to go through this phase like five years ago? 'Cause, I mean, seriously, at this point, storming into your room and blasting your goth rock - it's just gonna confuse your roommates." I joked because I couldn't believe she was serious. Rory stood up and grabbed her jacket off the back of her chair.

"Tell Grandma I had to pack." Was all she said before she left. Mom and I exchanged a defeated look before I stood up as well and made my way inside to find coffee and chocolate.


	2. Chapter 2

**A Messenger, Nothing More:**

Ever since Rory had left for Europe with Emily, I had been staying in her bedroom. After washing the bed sheets thoroughly, of course. Mom and I had been keeping ourselves busy turning the basement into a studio apartment for me to use when I come to stay. Mom was also running herself ragged working at her new inn, but when I asked her about it she just denied it. I was sitting at the kitchen table, which was never used for eating, trying to decide between cherry or enchantress for the paint for my apartment when my cell phone rang. I grabbed my phone from my jeans pocket and checked the caller ID hoping that it was Rory, and she was talking to me again. I was slightly disappointed that it wasn't Rory but the name that flashed on the screen brought a smile to my face regardless.

"Mistress Red's Palace of Pleasure, how may I direct your call?" I answered the phone in a seductive voice. The person on the other end just laughed at me. I could hear others in the background.

"I'm definitely already speaking to the girl I want." He said in an equally seductive voice, making me laugh as well.

"How was Fiji, Logan?" I asked my friend. Logan, mutual friends Colin and Stephanie and a bunch of other people had taken a year from Yale to do god knows what. They had asked me to go with them but I wanted to start freshman year with Rory. Logan sighed dramatically on the other end of the phone call.

"We ran into some trouble in Fiji."

"What kind of trouble?" I asked him apprehensively. Logan and Colin had a habit of getting into bad situations, sometimes dragging me with them. Other times I went along with them willingly.

"We sunk the yacht."

"…"

"You still there, Teek?" Logan asked me after a minute of complete silence. I shook my head to clear it, thinking that had heard wrong. I knew that my eyes must have been bugging out of my head.

"You sunk a yacht?"

"Yep." Logan confirmed, popping the 'p'. "Don't worry. This isn't a 'come get me out of jail' call. We are already at the airport and on our way home. I just wanted to check in because we haven't spoken in a while."

"Maybe you were too busy sinking boats." I suggested playfully. Now that I was over my shock that Logan had sunk his father's yacht, I was more amused than anything.

"It's a yacht. Not a boat." He joked back, making me laugh.

"Hey, who's that?" I heard someone say in the background of the call. Logan must have leant away from the phone to answer them because he sounded further away.

"Christa."

"I want to talk to her!" I heard Colin say loudly and then there was silence and the distant sound of Logan and Colin fighting over the phone. I laughed as I listened to two of my best friends fight over who got to talk to me. I had met Colin through a set up by Emily Gilmore. It was one of the only things I was thankful to her for. Through Colin, I had also met Logan and a few more friends but Colin, Logan and I were closer than the other despite a two year difference between us. We had only been friends for a few months before I moved to Boston with my dad. Luckily, Boston was closes enough that when the boys started their freshman year at Yale, I would drive down to spend the weekend with them.

"Hello?" a familiar female voice said over the phone and I smiled to myself. Stephanie and I hadn't started off as friends because was jealous that I had fit right into Logan and Colin's relationship. Also, although she never said it out loud, I had guessed that she was also a little jealous of the casual, no-strings relationship that Colin and I had shared the first few months we knew each other.

"Hi, Steph!" I said brightly to my friend. Steph had gone with Colin and Logan to Yale and we had become really close friends, once she got over herself. On the other end of the phone, she gasped happily.

"Christa! How are you?" she asked me, ignoring Logan and Colin's protests to hand to phone back.

"I'm good. Not as good as you, Brooke Shields. How was the Blue Lagoon?" I teased her and she laughed at me.

"It was great until Finn crashed the yacht." She stated matter-of-factly, like she crashed a million dollar yacht every day.

"It wasn't Logan or Colin? Now I can't tease them about drinking and driving." I playfully pouted even though she couldn't see me.

"Ooh, we have to go catch the plane. I'll call when we land. Bye!" she said brightly before hanging up the phone. I smiled at her abrupt nature and hung up the phone. I sighed as I gazed back at the paint swatches in front of me.

* * *

I was outside on the porch trying to paint my toenails deep purple when my phone rang again. Sighing, I picked it up without checking the ID this time. Deep down I hoped that it was Rory but I knew that she was still angry at me for voicing an opinion about her a dean, and telling mom about her little tryst.

"Hello?" I said in a bored voice as I balanced the phone between my shoulder and my ear so that I could still use my hands to paint my nails.

"It's me." I heard Rory's soft voice come over the phone. I almost dropped the phone but quickly realised she was probably just going to yell me again so I didn't get my hopes up.

"Oh. Hello." I said in a clipped tone.

"Bad time? Are you busy?" she asked, sounding both nervous and hesitant.

"Just doing my nails. How are you doing?"

"Good. You?"

"Good." I answered softly. There was a pregnant pause for a minute or two where no one said anything.

"I was at the corner of Bark and Cheese today." Rory informed me hesitantly. I sit back and smile as I remember going there with Rory and mom on our back packing trip after high school.

"Bark and Cheese? Really?"

"And it's exactly the same."

"Exactly the same? Was there a tiny, little Italian dog in a basket barking the whole time you were there?" I asked with a laugh. I couldn't help the smile that came to my lips at the memory.

"Not this time, but I definitely had flashbacks."

"Did you have a nice piece of cheese with your coffee?" I teased my twin sister.

"I still say I said the correct word for "cream" in Italian. I even pointed at my coffee when I asked for it. How could I be asking for cheese?"

"But cheese you were brought."

"Stinky cheese. The worst, don't forget."

"That you proceeded to eat."

"Because I hate people who make mistakes when they order, especially in a foreign country, and then make a big to-do when they get the wrong thing. Ugly Americans. Yuck." She argued playfully, making me laugh at her.

"Aha! You admit it was a mistake. You did say "cheese."" I teased her, grinning triumphantly.

"I know French, a bit of Spanish, but my Italian - not so good." Rory conceded with a sigh.

"Being trilingual is plenty for a young lady."

"Yeah." She said and then there was another pause. I heard Rory sigh sadly on the other end of the phone line. "Christa?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay." I assured with a smile that she couldn't see.

"I screwed up. I screwed up so bad. I handled everything wrong." Rory said in a rushed way. I could hear the tears through the phone and my heart nearly broke for her. "I keep reliving everything over and over. It's such a mess. I just want to fix it. I have to fix it."

"You will." I told her confidently, grateful that she couldn't see the doubt etched on my face.

"I know. I just - I need a favour." She said hesitantly.

"Okay." I said immediately, knowing already that id do anything she asked of me.

"It's big."

"Okay."

"I wrote a letter... to Dean. Could you get it to him?"

"Oh."

"I don't know how else to do it. I can't just mail it to his apartment. It's a big favour." She said pleadingly. I could feel her pain and her heartache through the twin bond that we shared. I knew that if this would make her feel the tiniest bit better than I would it for her. "It's a lot to ask, but I think that this will make everything better. Please. Please. I can't wait until I get home. I have to do something now."

"A letter, huh? Well, get it to me, and I will get it to him." I told her sincerely.

"Thank you. Thank you." She said gratefully, making me smile to myself.

"Have some espresso and limburger for me."

"I will. I love you, Christa."

"I love you, too. Bye."

"Bye."

* * *

The next day I took the letter that was express delivered from Europe and walked down to Doose's Market where Dean worked. The little bell above the door chimed as I entered and looked around for Dean. Not seeing him I stopped a girl wearing the smock of the store.

"Excuse me. I'm looking for Dean." I asked her and she points in a direction. "Thanks." I said before walking in the direction she pointed in. Near the fridges, I saw Dean wearing the Doose's smock and talking to a costumer about eggs. I waited patiently for them to finish. Dean looked up and noticed me and I offered him and shy smile and wave. The costumer left and Dean approached me nervously

"Dean." I said in greeting, feeling uncomfortable. How do you greet your twin sisters married ex-boyfriend who she just cheated with?

"Hi." He said, equally as nervous and uncomfortable.

"Hi." I relied as I handed him the letter Rory wrote for him.

"What's that?" he asked me suspiciously.

"It's a letter for you from Rory." I told him.

"What happened? Where is she?" he asked, concern lacing his voice.

"Just take the letter."

"She went to Europe, right? Miss Patty said she went to Europe. What happened? What's she doing there? Who is she with?"

"Dean." I said, not really wanting to be involved in this.

"When's she getting back?"

"Soon. Just take it."

"Where is she?" dean asked me, a little desperately and my heart cracked a little more.

"Europe."

"With who?"

"Her grandmother. Look, take it."

"No. Why did she go? Whose idea was it?"

"That doesn't matter."

"It does." He insisted.

"Dean, please. I'm a messenger, nothing more. Just take it." I practically pleaded with him, wanting desperately to leave. He hesitated but took the letter that I still had in my out reached hand. I smiled at him in sympathy and then got the hell out of there.

* * *

Rory got back today and I was so excited I was practically bouncing up and down on my seat at the at counter at Luke's. My friend Lane was waiting tables and I could help but notice that she kept looking over at her band mate Zach, who was currently sitting at a table with two bimbos wrapped around him. Lane finally goes over to the three of them to take their order and I watch in interest.

"You're supposed to wait to be seated." Lane told them, irritation lacing her voice. I raise an eyebrow at her words, because that is so not true.

"Since when?" Zach asked her, confused.

"Since always. That's what they do at Denny's." Lane argued with him, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Okay, well, my usual table where I always sit. Okay, Lane?"

"Fine Zach. What will you have?" Lane huffed in annoyance.

"Allow me to order for you girls. A ham sandwich for the lady on my right. Light mustard, right Trine?" he asked the blonde bimbo on his right and strokes her arm. Lane and before roll our eyes at them. Trina giggles at his attempts to seduce her though.

"Is that a "yes", Trine?" Lane asked her, growing more and more agitated.

"That's a "yes."" Zach answered for her. I was starting to think she couldn't form words on her own. "Burger, no cheese for Cheryl. Cheeseburger for me, and go ahead and shoot everybody here some fries." He said with wink. I rolled my eyes again because Lane had been throwing those free fries and ach and their other band mate Brain kept giving them cutesy names and gestures, like the wink.

"Free fries are for friends and family only. Sorry." Lane said, not sounding sorry at all.

"Another new rule?" Zach asked her sarcastically.

"Nope - old. Old as Moses."

"Okay, just bring me my order, and we'll all share." He tried to compromise.

"Sorry, no."

"What?"

"You get free fries, you have to eat them."

"I can't share my own fries?"

"That's right."

"That's bogus." He argued with her but she wasn't budging.

"That's tough, they're for you, not these girls. They're to be consumed by you, and you alone."

"I don't believe this."

"I'll be watching to see if you share, so don't get any big ideas."

"Just forget about it, okay? We'll go to "Al's Pancake World"."

"Fine! Go!"

"We are."

"Good."

"Come on, girls." He said, motioning for the girls to stand up with him.

"Whatever. Like I care where you go to eat." Lane said with a scoff and then came over to join me at the counter. I saw Zach and the bimbos exit the diner. "Like I care where he goes to eat." She said to me and I had to fight to keep the smirk off my lips. Lane started reloading the condiment tray and I sipped my coffee. The door the diner chimed and I turned hoping to see Rory or my mom but instead I see the brunette bimbo that was just in here with Zach. I watch curiously as she approaches me and Lane at the counter.

"Hey." She said to Lane, who turned to glare at her.

"What?" Lane asked impatiently.

"Sorry. We didn't know." She apologised to Lane. Lane just looked confused at the girl.

"Know what?" she asked her. The girl and I shared a smile of knowing and then she turned and left the diner. Lane watched her leave in confusion and I smiled at the clueless look on her face. Her expression gradually became one of understanding and she turned to me unbelieving.

"Oh my God." She muttered under her breath but I still heard it and chuckled at her in sympathy. I stood up from my seat at the counter and pulled Lane into a hug.

"Sorry, sweetie." I said before pulling out my wallet and paying for my coffee, making sure to leave a big tip for Lane. I figured that she could use it right now. I decided to head home and wait there for Rory and mom. As I reached the gazebo in town square I saw two very familiar people and rushed over to them squealing happily.

"Rory!" I squealed as I pulled her into a huge hug. I heard both mom and Rory laugh at my eagerness. I pulled away and held her delicate face in my hands to check her over. Satisfied with what I saw, I nodded and linked my arms with each of theirs. We started walking back the way that I had come from, towards Luke's. "What were we talking about?"

"Dean and Lindsay." Mom answered softly and I nodded in understanding. I had heard about the major public fight between Lindsay and Dean. We started to walk around the gazebo slowly as mom recounted what she had seen earlier that day.

"It was unbelievable. It was bad. She was yelling. She was throwing things. He was yelling. She called him a jerk. It was very violent and very public. Other people saw it. It was horrible."

"This was not supposed to happen." Rory said miserably and I rubbed her arm in sympathy. Just as I was about to try and say something comforting, we rounded the corner and bumped into Lindsay and her mother.

"You! You should be ashamed of yourself - what you did!" Mrs Lister spat at Rory and I instinctively pulled her behind me.

"Just wait." Mom started to say but Mrs Lister cut her off.

"What did she ever do to you, huh? How did she hurt you? Why are you doing this?"

"Theresa, please. Calm down." Mom ordered the older woman but was ignored.

"Calm down? My little girl has to come home and find your heinous letter in Dean's jacket."

"Listen, we're in the street –" mom tried again to get her to stop. I could fell Rory trembling behind me and that just about made me punch this lady's lights out, regardless of the situation.

"You little monster!"

"Hey! Pull back, lady!" I snapped at her in anger.

"There aren't hundreds of other boys in the world? You have to go after her husband?"

"Okay, stop attacking my daughter right now. You're upset, I get it, but you do not do this." Mom ordered her again, stepping closer to the older woman to prove her point.

"She slept with my son-in-law. She broke up a marriage. Are you proud?" Mrs Lister spat at mom.

"She did not break up a marriage." I said to the women in front of me.

"What do you know of this?" she snapped at me now.

"Enough. I know Rory." I insisted protectively.

"All I know is that now my Lindsay is devastated, Dean is back with his parents, lives are destroyed, and you and your daughters can go to hell!" she screamed at mom before storming off, pulling Lindsay with her. Once she left Rory wiped her eyes in silence and I pushed her wayward hair behind her ears to keep it out of her way. Mom cleared her throat and asked the question that I also wanted to know.

"Okay, I have got to know what was in that letter."

"Um... I... I told him...that... that night was special and...that I wasn't sorry that it happened. But he's married, and... he has to figure out his life. So I was going to make it easier for him and take myself out of the mix." Rory stuttered out. I wrapped a supportive arm around her shoulders and she leaned into me.

"Well, that was a very good letter." I told her sympathetically.

"I can't believe she found it."

"We can't keep standing here." Mom insisted as she looked around the square.

"These streets are dangerous right now." I added jokingly as we moved towards Luke's Diner again. We entered the diner and sat at our usual table near the window.

"Anything you want is on me. Pie, cake, pancakes, pan pie, cake pan, panacockin. Say the word or make one up. It's yours." Mom joked as we sat down.

"Chair feels good." Rory stated as she relaxed into the chair, making me shake my head.

"Yeah, yeah. A chair does feel good."

"I think a root beer might be good." Rory said after careful consideration.

"Root beer sounds good!" I said brightly. Just then Luke appeared at our table. We hadn't seen him in a few days because he had been helping his sister and brother-in-law at a medieval fair where they sold jewellery.

"It's on the house, so go crazy." He said to us.

"Luke!" I said excitedly as I stood up and hugged him. Mom looked just as excited but exercised enough control not to hug him like I did. Luke hugged me back and when I pulled back and sat back down her grinned down at mom.

"Hey." He said to her and me and then, "Hi, Rory. Welcome back."

"Thanks." She said lamely and I held her hand in mine.

"Are you okay? You look a little pale." He asked her in concern.

"You know, pale's the new tan." I joked, covering for her and he smiled warmly at me. Mom chuckled and smiled up at him.

"So, you're here. You're not a mirage."

"I told you I was coming back."

"But you lied to me repeatedly for weeks, so your credibility's been shattered."

"I know. It's been seven weeks. You know, I just remembered - I have an errand to run." He said nervously and I bite back a grin. "So… I'll be back in a bit." He said and then left the diner. Mom's gaze followed him as he left. Lane came running over to our table and sat down in the vacant seat.

"Rory!" Lane said excitedly.

"Hey, you!" Rory said to her best friend, perking up a bit.

"We need to consult." Lane said seriously and Rory raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, sounds serious."

"I'm in a quandary."

"Other people's quandaries. I'm all ears."

"Hey, you know, I just remembered - I have to go to Doose's to... pick something up. You need a banana or anything?" mom said lamely, and I rolled my eyes at her attempt to be subtle.

"We're good." I assured her, impatient for her and Luke to be a couple already. I had 50 bucks resting on whether or not they become a couple after their kiss.

"Yeah, I'm consulting on a quandary. Go." Rory also assured her. Mom smiled and practically ran out the door makings us all laugh at her and Luke.

"So, my quandary - are you ready? And I need honesty from both of you." Lane said in a rush.

"Shoot." I said to her with a smile.

"Am I in love with Zach?"

"Yes!" I told her at the same time Rory said, "What?"

"I need to know if you think I'm in love with Zach, 'cause a dirty trollop suggested it, and they're generally reliable about these things."

"A dirty trollop?" Rory asked sceptically.

"She said something to me and gave me this sort of knowing, worldly look that seemed to suggest I was acting in a way that said I have a thing for Zach, or she was hitting on me. I just need to know your thought on this. Hey. Are you listening?" she asked as Rory just stared mutely at her.

"Ignore her. Listen to me. 'Cause as you said dirty trollops are usually reliable about these things." I said with a smirk. Lane frowned when I called myself a trollop but nodded seriously. "You're attracted to Zach. It's undeniable. What you have to do is figure what kind of attraction it is."

"What do you mean, 'what kind of attraction'?" Lane asked me. She and Rory were both listening intently and I leaned forward on my elbows.

"There's two main types of sexual attraction." I stated to them. "One is like a sparkler. It burns hot and fast. It's dangerous and fun, and oh so pretty. But it's gone in the blink of an eye. The other is more like a candle. It burns slow and it gives off warmth and light and it lasts." I told them with a shrug.

"Well, how do I tell?" Lane asked me.

"I don't know." I answered her honestly with a frown and a shrug. "I've never experienced the candle burn. I thought, maybe I had it with Tristan or Daniel but at last."

"That doesn't help me." Lane said with a shake of her head, but with a smile as well and I laugh out loud and soon enough all three of us are laughing.


	3. Chapter 3

**Written in the Stars**:

It was the Friday night before Rory and I went back to Yale for our sophomore year and we were having drinks with grandpa in the pool house. The three of us girls sat on the plush love seat and grandpa lounged on an armchair close by. In the corner a man in a suit was mixing drinks at the makeshift bar.

"Shaken, not stirred, please, Jeeves." Mom joked to the man making drinks and I pressed my lips together to keep from laughing.

"His name is Robert." Grandpa informed us with a small smile on his lips.

"I thought every butler's name was Jeeves." Mom teased.

"He's not a butler. He's a valet."

"So he parks your car?" I said, joining in the teasing.

"No, he does not park my car. He does exactly what you see him doing." Grandpa said, and I could see he was getting exasperated. I look over at Robert making drinks.

"So he is a bartender." I guessed again playfully.

"He attends to my needs."

"So he's a geisha." Mom asked playing dumb and I couldn't help snorting at her comment.

"You'll be quieter once you have a drink, I assume." Grandpa said, used to mom and my antics. He turned his attention to Rory and I. "So, young ladies, you're starting your second year of Yale this week."

"Yeah, we move into Branford on Monday." I told him politely, knowing that he had enough of our jokes. I liked Richard a whole lot more than I liked Emily, and more than I liked Staub.

"You're going to love Branford College. That where I lived, you know." He told us with a smile and we couldn't help back smile back.

"We know." Rory replied.

"It is the oldest of Yale's residential colleges. They have these Carillon bells that are enchanting, and it has, what was called by Robert Frost, the most beautiful college courtyard in America." He said to us as Robert served the drinks. I smiled my thanks to the valet as I picked up my coke.

"Well, I'll tell you what, Grandpa - I'll get settled in, and then we can have lunch there." Rory invited him.

"Ah, that's a deal." He said happily.

"You wanted me to remind you that you were going to bring out the Hungarian cheese, sir." Robert reminded grandpa.

"Yes I did. I'll be right back." He said as he stood and exited the room.

"So, Grandpa's actually living out here?" Rory asked us sadly once he had left the room.

"Looks like." Mom answered her.

"Do you think he's happy?"

"I do. I think he's very happy out here with his books and his special friend, Robert." I answered with a saucy grin and mom laughed.

"Don't be gross." Rory scolded me with a scowl.

"What? I'm just saying two grown men out here alone with Hungarian cheese and swim trunks..." I trailed off.

"Oh, jeez." Rory muttered. Mom patted her hand patronisingly.

"Don't be so puritanical. After all, Heather has two mommies." Mom told her and I giggled again.

* * *

When the three of us entered the diner the next morning, mom and Rory had been having the same conversation the entire way here and it was boring me.

"Okay, but think about it. Why do we need the word "potty"? Is it really that much harder for a kid to learn the word "bathroom"?"

"I don't know." I answered her as we sat down at our table.

""Timmy, do you have to go potty?" Or "Timmy, do you have to go to the bathroom?" See? Interchangeable." Mom argued her point, making gestures.

"Mom, watch the hands. You're not Italian." I commented when she almost hit me in the head.

"Not exactly interchangeable." Rory argued with her and I just sighed in defeat.

"How are they not interchangeable?"

"To go potty is an action. To go to the bathroom is to go into a specific place."

"I hate the word "potty."" Mom said with a pout.

"Well, what did you teach me to say?" Rory said her curiously.

""Bathroom.""

"You did?"

"Yes, of course." She said as if it was obvious. Then she turned to me, "What did dad teach you to say?" she asked but luckily I was saved from answering when Luke appeared at the table.

"What can I get you?" he asked us.

"A foster home." Rory and I said at the same time.

"You'll thank me one day." She told us and then turned back to Luke and smiled coyly. "Hi."

"I'm working." He grumbled lowly.

"Come on. This is the beginning of a relationship. You're supposed to act stupid."

"I'll do the chicken dance on my lunch break." He said dryly and then turned his attention to me and Rory. "Heading back to school?"

"Yeah, sophomore year." I answered him with a smile.

"Anything you want - on the house." He told us and I clapped excitedly before diving on the menu and Rory smiled her thanks.

"I can't believe you won't flirt with me in front of my daughters. They're gonna think there's something wrong with me." Mom aid with a too bright fake smile.

"Please. I got that confirmation letter a long time ago. Scrambled eggs with cheddar cheese and half bacon, half sausage." I said to Luke and Rory ordered the same as me.

"I'll have the same, and put it on their tab." Mom tried to get free breakfast.

"You get your own tab." Luke told her matter-of-factly.

"Oh, thank God you don't have a Latin accent, or you'd be completely irresistible." Mom replied dryly.

"Coffee will be ready in a minute."

"Be back in a second." Mom said and then followed after him. Rory and I were talking about the classes we were taking this year and how Rory had scored a placement in an exclusive six week course when mom comes strutting back over to the table.

"What was that all about?" I asked her with a knowing smile.

"We were just talking about our date for tonight."

"A real date? Finally!" Rory cried happily and we all smiled together.

"What are you gonna wear?" I asked her as I leaned forward on the table in anticipation.

"Mmm, glass slippers, a backwards baseball cap..." she trailed off with a happy smile on her face.

"…and nothing else." I finished for her with a sly smile and a wink.

"Exactly."

"I'm very excited." Rory told us. I nodded my head to agree with my twin. We were all excited that our mom and Luke were finally going out. After years of longing and flirting they had kissed at the test run of mom new inn. Sookie, mom best friend and I had a bet going to see how long it would take them to hook up. Sookie bet that Rory and I would be out of college by the time one of them made a move. I had happily collected my fifty bucks from her the night after they kissed. We made another bet five minutes afterwards to see when they have sex. I said that it would be on the first date but Sookie disagreed and bet that it would be on the second. Rory didn't make a bet, just scolded us for betting on people's private lives.

"Me too. Hey, have you talked to –" I asked but Rory cut me off before I could finish asking.

"No."

"Do you think you're going to before you – "mom started but Rory just shook her head. Luke walked back up the table and mom perked back up. "Oh, food. Thank God."

"Hot plates." Luke warned us before putting the plates in front of us.

"See? He called me "Hot Plates." He so likes me." mom teased him with a gleeful smile and we all laughed, except for Luke you looked distinctly embarrassed.

"Jeez." He uttered as he ran back to the kitchen.

* * *

Rory and I were walking through the courtyard, directing the mover's where to go with our furniture. I was playing on my phone and not watching where I was going and Rory grabbed my arm to move me out of the way of people. The sun suddenly disappeared and I looked up from my phone in confusion. I noticed that we were in the hallway of Branford College.

"Careful. If you stain that, my grandmother will hunt you down and kill you. I wish that I was kidding. I'll get the door." Rory warned the mover's. I nodded empathically, thinking about what Emily would do.

"Christa! Rory!" a familiar voice said from behind us. I smiled at the familiar voice and I turned around to hug our friend Marty.

"Hi, Marty!" I said brightly as I wrapped my arms around his neck.

"Marty, hi! It's nice to see you!" Rory said as she hugged him as well. "So, are you living here?"

"I'm living here." He confirmed with a smile and a shrug.

"That's great. So am I." Rory told him and then noticed the impatient mover's waiting by the door. "Oh, sorry. I have to let these guys in." She said before going to open the door to our dorm room.

"So, how was your summer?" I asked him curiously.

"I met Nicole Richie, and then spent the next six weeks showering."

"Ew!" I said with a laugh. We followed Rory into the dorm after the mover's. Rory mentioned that the dorm door was locked. I frowned at that because our other roommate, our 'friend' Paris Geller was supposed to be here before us.

"I thought that Paris would be here already." I asked Rory, who shrugged to say she didn't know.

"Nice room." Marty complimented us.

Marty and I sat on the couch and Rory started pacing the room nervous.

"I can't believe I beat Paris here. I mean, normally, she would want to get dibs on the best room first and set up the furniture exactly the way she wants it." Rory ranted to us.

"Maybe she's just late." I suggested in a soothing, hoping to calm her down.

"Paris is never late." Rory scoffed at me and took out her cell phone and dialled. I sighed and leaned my head on Marty's shoulder.

"Paris is burning." I mumbled to Marty and he laughed out loud. We both listened intently to Rory's side of the conversation.

"Paris, hey, it's Rory. Christa and I are in our room, and I was just wondering how we could have beaten you here. Are you okay? You sound funny. What? Oh. Paris, I'm sorry. How? Heart attack?" Rory asked and Marty and I sat up straighter, intrigued. "Um...it wasn't during, um...was it? Okay. Sorry. I just - that's terrible. Oh, man. Where are you? Is there anything I can do to help? I know. Bye." Rory said to Paris and then turned to Marty and I, who were waiting on the couch for information. "Asher Fleming died."

"In bed?" we both asked at the same time. Paris had been dating an older professor here at Yale.

"No." Rory told us sternly.

"Damn. I lost the pool." Marty muttered and I jumped up from my spot on the couch.

"I won!" I cheered with a grin. Marty laughed at my excitement and Rory glowered at me.

* * *

The day after we arrived back at Yale, Paris had pressured Rory and I into throwing Professor Fleming a wake in our dorm room. I had told Rory that they could as long as I didn't have to help plan it or attend it and she had reluctantly agreed. Rory and I were sitting on the couch discussing a group of jerks who had harassed Marty in front of Rory earlier when they went to get coffee.

"They were such jerks to him. They acted so superior to him just because he bartended some of their parties." Rory vented to me. I watched in amusement as she waved her hands around, a sign of her aggravation she had inherited from mom. "I mean, they talked down to him worse than grandma talks to her maid."

"No." I mocked gasped.

"Yeah." Rory confirmed, missing my sarcasm, or maybe just ignoring it. I crossed my legs under me on the couch in the common room when Paris came flying out of room in a panic.

"I need more candles." She announced and I looked up at her from my spot on the couch and took pity on her.

"Check my trunk. I think my mom put some in there." I told her and she nodded and kept putting copies of hardcover books on the coffee table. "That's a lot of books you got there."

"The very fact that the bookstore had any in stock shows the sad nature of American reading habits." She told me and nodded along with her, mainly because she frightens me. Rory gestured to the books that Paris was depositing around the room.

"Do you need some help with those?" she asked her friend.

"I got this, but here - you can put these up." Paris pleaded with her and picked up a stack of papers.

"You made flyers." Rory stated as she looked at them and my eyes widened in amusement.

"You made flyers?"

"Anyone who wants to pay tribute to this great man deserves the opportunity." Paris said, mildly defensive.

"I'm on it." Rory told her before she exited to dorm hallway with handful of flyers. I rolled my eyes and went back to my magazine that I had been reading before Rory came back. Three minutes later Paris came rushing back out of my room with an armful of candles.

"Can you close the door, Christa?" she asked me and I looked over at the open door. I stood up and went to close it. As I got closer I recognised Rory's voice out in the hallway. Hadn't she gone to hand out flyers?

"I don't have an argument." I heard Rory insist, sounding irritated.

"I can give you a moment to formulate one if you want to continue." Said a familiar male voice and I grinned to myself. I leaned on the doorframe and watched my twin sister and my best friend argue without noticing me.

"I'm busy!" Rory said to him.

"You concede."

"I don't like it when people hurt my friends." Rory said, sounding defeated and I frowned at her comment. Which friend had Logan hurt?

"And you react when goaded."

"I am not goaded. I am so far from goaded. Get out your compass and I will show you how far from goaded I am."

"I think we got a serious debater in our midst." Logan complimented her and I thought that was a perfect moment to announce my presence.

"Must run in the family." I suggested from behind him and he spun around fast.

"Teek?" he asked when he caught sight of me. I grinned at him and he returned it. Happy to see him after nearly a year, I ran at him and threw myself into his arms. My arms wrapped around his neck and my legs wrapped around his waist and he caught me as I jumped on him. Spinning me around, we both laughed. I was still giggling when he set me back down on the ground. He cupped my face in his hands and smiled down at me.

"It's good to see you, Christopher Atkins." I teased him and he groaned and threw his head back, but he was smiling still.

"I'm never going to live that down am I?" he asked as he let go of me and wrapped an arm around my shoulder.

"It's not likely." I told him honestly. I turned and saw Rory looking at us in confusion. "And how do you know my darling twin sister?" I asked him with a raised eyebrow and his own pale eyebrows rose in surprise.

"Your sister?" he asked me and then turned back to Rory with a charming grin. "So you're the infamous Rory. It's nice to meet you."

"We've met." She said dryly and glared at him. Logan chuckled nervously, and that reminded me of what I'd heard before I announced my presence.

"Yeah, what was that about hurting one of her friends?" I asked him as I went a stood next to Rory.

"This is one of the guys that treated Marty like a peasant." Rory told me dryly, and I turned to look at Logan accusingly. Logan put his hands up in surrender.

"I'll apologise next time I see him. Promise, Teek." He compromised quickly, seeing the irritation on my face.

"How do you two know each other?" Rory asked us confused. Logan put his hands in his pockets but just as he opened his mouth to answer two people came running down the stairs.

"Logan, I think we've found it." A cute unfamiliar guy said to Logan in an Australian accent and I just about melted. I had a big thing for accents. The other person was familiar and I grinned from ear to ear as he ran down the rest of the steps, past a protesting Australian. I ran to meet him halfway and he picked me up and spun me around just as Logan had.

"Christa!"

"Colin!"

"I haven't seen you in forever." He accused as he sat me down on the ground.

"Well, that's your own fault for going all 'Amazing Race' on me." I said equally as accusatory but he just grinned at me and Logan came over to join us as we stood in a triangle.

"I believe that we invited you to come with us on our trip, did we not?" Logan asked me grinning.

"Sorry, sweetie, but you can only have partners on the 'Amazing Race'." I teased them and patted Logan cheek patronisingly. We all laugh and then we're joined by the Australian guy that was standing on the stairs. He was looking at me with interest. "And who might this be?" I asked my boys.

"Oh, Christa this is Finn. Finn, this is Christa." Logan introduced us, and Finn gave me a smile that was meant to be charming. Well, it was charming; I'm just immune to it.

"Lovely to meet you, Christa. I've heard great things."

"Nice to meet you too. I heard you sunk a yacht." I replied with an easy smile.

"Okay! We need to drink!" Colin announced to the group and we all agreed. Rory was still standing near the door and I waved goodbye to her and she smiled back. Colin comfortably put an arm on my shoulders and we started to walk past her but Logan stopped suddenly and turned back.

"Tell Marty I said hi, and I promise to remember you instantly next time." He said to Rory, but her face stayed expressionless. Logan gave her a winning smile and I couldn't but feel proud of my sister for not falling for his charms. "Now, tell me that wasn't fun?" he asked, when Rory still didn't do anything he sighed and started walking again. Again he stopped and turned back to her. "Master and Commander."

"The movie?" Rory asked confused.

"No, that's what I want you to call me from now on." Logan said to her with a wink and I burst out laughing as the four of us left Branford College.

* * *

The four of us sat around a booth at the local pub on campus. Luckily, they were very lenient on checking ID's, not that it would since I had a fake one. Logan bought over shots of tequila and we each took one. We were talking animatedly about their adventures around the world the past year when I heard a familiar voice squeal my name from the door to the pub.

"Christa!" Stephanie cried as she ran at me and wrapped her arms around me tightly. I laughed as I hugged her back just as hard. She was probably my best female friend and I had missed her this past year. Stephanie had come in with another friend of ours Robert. The new two joined out booth and we all did more shots.

"So, how do you all know each other then, love?" Finn asked me, his words slightly slurred because of the alcohol. I leaned my head on Colin shoulder as I told Finn the story of how Emily had set me and Colin up and we hit it off. Logan filled him in on how Colin had saved me from the horrors of an extremely boring society party by dragging me away and bring me to the sub-party they had formed in the pool house.

"I only continued to hang out with them because they knew where all the good parties were." I joked in a shouted whispered to Finn because he was the only one at the table who didn't know the story and everyone laughed at my teasing.

"Well I only continued to hang out with you because my parents and grandfather didn't give me hard time about it." Logan countered with a smug grin. I laughed as I remembered being introduced to his parents for the first time at a charity gala in New York City.

* * *

_Logan, Colin, Stephanie and I were standing near the bar after being served. Each of us held a shot of bourbon in our hands._

_"Better drink it fast. The parents are coming this way!" Logan warned us all and we quickly tipped the shots back and tried to look innocent. The four of us had been friends for nearly a year and although I was now leaving in Boston with my dad and Logan, Colin and Stephanie were all at Yale for their freshman year, all our friends or in my case grandparents had ordered us home for this gala. We looked over at the couple striding towards us and I knew instantly that they were Logan's parents, Shira and Mitchum Huntzberger._

_"Good luck." Stephanie whispered to us as she and Colin quickly made a dash way. Logan and I looked after them in disbelief._

_"Cowards!" Logan hissed after them although they were too far away to her him._

_"Logan! There you are!" a female voice said from behind us. We both plastered polite society smiles on and turned to greet Shira Huntzberger._

_"Hello, mom, dad." Logan greeted is parents with a kiss on the cheek for his mother and I hand shake for his father. They both politely smiled back at us and looked me over as if measuring my worth. Which they probably were. Logan didn't seem inclined to make introduction so I did it myself._

_"I'm Christine Hayden. Francine and Staub's granddaughter. It's a pleasure to meet you both." I said trying to sincere although it really wasn't. Logan had told me all about his parents and they didn't sound like people I'd get along with._

_"Lovely to meet you, Christine." Mitchum said to me while shaking my hand. Shira looked at me curiously._

_"Arent you Richard and Emily Gilmore's granddaughter as well?" the older woman asked me and I nodded and smiled back._

_"That's right."_

_"Now if you'll excuse us, we have to bid on the silent auction." Logan told his parents, trying to excuse ourselves as he gripped my elbow._

_"Lovely to meet you, Mr and Mrs Huntzberger." I said as Logan tried to lead me away._

_"Oh, please call us Shira and Mitchum." They insisted practically at the same time and I smiled back as Logan hurried me away from them._

_"A minute longer and they might suck your blood, especially now that they know it's blue." He whispered in my ear as we walked away and I giggled at him._

* * *

"I remember that! Shira and Mitchum adored me!" I said with a chuckle. "Not that it's so surprising, I am adorable."

"You weren't even my date and they were picking out the wedding china!" Logan exclaimed. "They still ask how you are every time I talk to them."

"Mine too." Colin added to the conversation. "'Oh, Colin, how is that darling Christine?" he mocked his other in a high pitch voice, making us all laugh.

"My parents actually offered to buy us our first house if I could get you marry me." Logan informed me, making my eyes nearly bug out of my head.

"I'm the one who has to marry you! What do I get?" I asked, indignantly with a pout. Logan looked over at me playing offended.

"You'd get to be married to me! What more could you want?"

"A divorce." I joked with a smile and everyone, including Logan laughed. We all took another shot and laughed.

"And why are they offering you things? Aren't they meant to be offering things to her father?" Steph asked Logan with a laugh.

"I think she'd fetch at least three cows and five geese." Colin teased me after looking me over. I gasped playfully and Logan, Robert and Finn all looked me over appreciatory.

"I say, four cows, five geese and three chickens!" Robert cried.

"No! One horse, four cows, six geese and three chickens!" Logan added.

"You're all wrong!" Finn told them as he leaned forward on the table towards me. "Two kangaroos, four koalas and five wallaby's."

"Screw you guys!" I shouted and then pouted. "I'd fetch a freaking unicorn, thank you very much." I declared making them all laugh at me. Logan raised a shot glass filled to the brim with tequila in the air.

"To my future wife." He toasted with a wink in my direction.

"To my future wife." All the boys cried as they clink their glasses together.

"To me!" I added and laughed along with everyone at the table.


	4. Chapter 4

**Tippecanoe and Taylor Too**

I was running around my dorm room looking for textbook that I had misplaced. I was starting to get really anxious because I was running late to the class. Throwing my hands in the air in defeat I ran to door and opened it to call to Rory.

"Rory! Have you seen my textbook?" I asked my twin desperately. She stuck her door around the corner of her room and looked at me, puzzled.

"Which one?"

""Cultural Disenfranchisement with Women's Role Models". Do you have it?" I pleaded, giving her puppy dog eyes and pouting.

"Nope." She said as she went back into her room and I groaned and ran back into my room to continue searching. I was scrambling around the room, throwing my stuff around when I thought about another place it could be. Picking up my phone, I pressed speed dial two and held it up to me and shoulder so that I could use my hands still.

""Cultural Disenfranchisement with Women's Role Models" - do you have it?" I pleaded with my mother pleadingly as she picked up.

"Oh, God, I hope not." She joked on the other end of the phone and I groaned.

"It's the book for the class I'm officially late to." I explained desperately as I continued searching through my suitcase.

"Oh." She said in understanding and I could hear her moving around on the other end. I could her Luke on the other end as well and smiled to myself, happy that mom and Luke were getting along great.

"What are you looking for?" I heard Luke ask my mom faintly in the background.

"A big, boring book." She answered him.

"Who is that?" I asked her coyly, trying get her to spill. I sat down on the bed, hoping that she would give me some details.

"It's Luke?" mom said but it sounded more like a question.

"Who's that?" Luke asked her.

"It's Christa."

"Luke. It's pretty early in the morning for Luke to be there. Unless, perhaps, he woke up there." I stated slyly and couldn't help the smirk that fell on my lips.

"Well, he did." She confirmed to me and I could hear the smile in her voice.

""He did" what? Are you talking about me?" Luke asked her on the other end.

"Man, that's weird." I stated matter-of-factly.

"What's weird?" mom asked, worry tinting her voice now.

"Who's weird? I'm weird?" Luke asked.

"The thought of Luke running around naked in my kitchen. It's weird." I teased in a joking matter.

"Luke is not running around naked in your kitchen. He is sitting at the table, and, yes, he is naked."

"Don't do that. Don't tell her I'm naked. I'm not naked." He told his girlfriend, and then he spoke louder so that I could hear him clearly. "I'm not naked!"

"He sounds naked." I teased them playful as I leaned back on the bed.

"Well, the chairs are cold." She joked back and I laughed at her. "He actually tried to make me breakfast."

"Really? Aw." I said with a smile.

"Yeah, naked."

"Okay, that's it, I'm gone." Luke said faintly on the other end of the phone and I laughed again.

"Oh, no, no, no. Sorry, don't, no. Christa, Luke is fully dressed. He never came in the house. He just stood outside all night playing "In Your Eyes" on a boom box." She said to me quickly. I laughed and then checked the time and gasped as I realised how late I was.

"I have to go. If you find the book, bring it to Friday-night dinner, okay? Go back to your dirtiness." I ordered her before I hung up the phone. I grabbed my keys off the side table and ran out the door. As soon as I enter the common rom of our dorm, I froze. I saw Paris looking after some men who were leaving but my attention was on a large wooden structure which dominated the main room.

"Thanks a lot. I photographed it before you moved it, so if there's any damage, you'll be hearing from my lawyer." Paris called after the men who had apparently helped move the wooden thing. She turned to me and smiled. "Hi."

"Hi. Introduce me to your friend." I said as I mentioned to the wooden thing. Paris walked closer to the wooden thing.

"This is a Blou printing press, 18th century." She told me, as if that meant anything to me.

"And it's here because?" I asked her, getting irritated.

"It's Asher's. He left it to me. It's beautiful, don't you think?"

"Yeah. Think it goes great with the entire width of the room."

"I know it's a little cumbersome, but we don't have to leave it right here. We could move it about six inches in any direction."

"Paris, we can't just leave it here." I told her annoyed.

"I have nowhere else to put it."

"But –" I started to protest but Paris cut me off.

"You have to think of the benefits of having it here."

"Like?" I asked her. I was actually curious as to what she would suggest you do with this monstrosity.

"No one else will have one, which means it's unique, which makes us unique. Kids our age do crazy things to make themselves unique - piercings, blue hair, Kabbalah. It will be a great conversation piece. We'll be the talk of Branford."

"I believe we will." I muttered to myself as I crossed my arms over my chest and leaned against the doorframe.

"We can print our own newsletter, if you'd like."

""The Eccentric Gazette". I love it." I said dryly as I started moving towards the door. I decided to talk to Rory about this later since I was still late for class.

"It's from Asher. Just try it for a while. I promise if it gets in the way, we'll get rid of it." Paris pleaded with me and she looked so sad that I neared relented. I looked down at the ground and sure the strap of my book bag. I reached down and started to pull on it, trying to get it unstuck.

"Paris, it's on my book bag. I'm late for class, and you put a printing press on my book bag?" I asked her, raising my voice a little. When I was unable to get it unstuck, I unzipped it and removed my books. I sighed when I saw the textbook that I had been looking for.

"Well, sorry. It's from my dead boyfriend, okay? I apologize if my grief is inconveniencing you. Maybe I'll just put myself on an iceberg and float myself out to sea so that no one will have to deal with my suffering."

"Well, just get that thing off my bag before you go." I snapped at her as I left the room in a huff.

* * *

Later that night I was sitting with Rory on the couch talking about her getting back with Dean and how he was coming over tonight and Paris was polishing her printing press. Earlier, I had complained to Rory about the damn wooden thing but she had talked me into letting her keep it for a while. She had reminded me that he used to belong to her dead boyfriend so I had begrudgingly let her keep it. For a while at least. There was a knock on the dorm door and Rory went to open it. I watched as Paris tried to reach a tall part of the print press and shook my head at her.

"Ben Franklin was out of his mind." I muttered to myself as I tried not to laugh at her exasperated expression. Rory opened the door to reveal Dean and I sighed. I wasn't a big supporter of Rory and Dean together. I knew that they would eventually break up again and Rory would just end up being hurt. I didn't want to tell Rory any of this because last time I expressed my opinion on her love life we didn't talk for nearly two months.

"Hey." Dean said to Rory with a smile.

"Hey." Rory greeted him and they kissed, making me look away. Paris stopped what she was doing and looked at me in confusion. "So, come on in. Dean, you remember Paris."

"Yes, I do. Uh, how you doing, Paris?"

"I'm fine." She answered him politely.

"And you know Christa." Rory said and gestured over to me on the couch.

"Hey, Christa." Dean said to me, looking a little nervous. I gave him a weak smile in response since I told Rory that I would try to get along with him now that they were dating again. "What's that?" dean asked, gesturing to the printing press.

"Uh, that's a printing press. Haven't you heard? Tats are out, movable type is in." Rory joked as they moved towards her room.

"I've heard that."

"You guys are just saying that because you don't have a tattoo." I called over to them. They smiled at me a moved to Rory's doorway.

"So, my room's in there."

"Nice to see you again, Paris, Christa." Dean said with a nod at each of us.

"Right back at you." Paris told him and I just nodded and offered him another small smile. He wandered into Rory's room and closed the door behind him. Paris stopped Rory as she moved to follow him.

"You're back with Farmer Boy? What gives?"

"Paris –" Rory started to explain to her friend.

"I thought he was married."

"He was - now he's not." Rory replied to her and I snorted to myself but Rory heard and shot me a look.

"Well, well - Hoss returns. Who would've thunk?" Paris murmured.

"I'm going in my room now."

"Just hold on. We have to figure this out. You too Christa." She said, including me in the conversation and I frowned in confusion.

"Figure what out?" I asked her.

"You're going to be bringing boys home now. We need a system."

"I'm not bringing "boys" home. I'm bringing "boy" home. That boy - that's it." Rory told her exasperated.

"I don't bring boys home." I said plainly and stood up to pick up my book.

"I assume you're having sex." Paris said to Rory and me both.

"Since I was 16." I told them, not even looking up.

"Paris! Christa!" Rory cried, sounding uncomfortable.

"You're having sex. Well, luckily, I just bought some noise-reducing headphones, so that'll help. If I put the headphones on, then stuff towels under the door, which should do the trick."

"Hey, if you've got extra towels to stuff, I got a location suggestion." I called from the couch, grinning at the direction of their conversation.

"How loud are you?" Paris asked Rory and I laughed out loud at Rory uncomfortable expression.

"Paris, stop." Rory begged the blonde hair girl.

"Look, I don't care. I just need the information to formulate a good plan. I mean, you look all small and squeaky, but sometimes, it's exactly the bunny-looking girls who can blow the roof off the barn. I know, just give me a three-minute warning."

"I'm walking away now."

"That way, I have time to put everything in place. Put headphones on, et cetera."

"Bye." Rory said as she backed away, closer to her bedroom door.

"Is he gonna be coming over a lot? Probably, right? He's at his peak now, and it's probably one of the only things he's good at so..."

"Three-minute warning!" Rory cried loudly and held up her hands.

"Right." Paris said before quickly exiting into her bedroom. Rory looked at me in exasperation. I got up from the couch and walked over to her. I pulled her into a hug and squeezed her tightly. I smiled at her in sympathy and then walked backwards towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Rory asked me with a frown. I smiled saucily at her.

"I don't have noise reducing headphones." I teased her and quickly ducked out the door when she threw a pillow at me. I was heading towards a meeting when my cell phone rang in my pocket. I looked at the time and saw that I still had some time so I checked the caller ID and smiled as I read Lane's name. I flipped the phone open and sat on the closest bench in the empty courtyard.

"Hello." I said into the phone.

"Hey, Christa. Can I talk to you? Normally, I'd talk to Rory but she kind of lacks experience in this area." Lane told me, panic lacing her voice.

"An area that Rory isn't an expert in? So, it's either boys or how to drink your body weight in alcohol." I joked with a chuckle.

"Yeah. It's about Zach." Lane confirmed.

"Let's hear it."

"I usually like grocery shopping. This stripped it of all enjoyment." Lane concluded after she told me how Zach had bought beer for some bimbo's that he had invited over to their shared house.

"I thought you hated grocery shopping with the guys. You always bicker." I stated a little confused.

"But that's fun bickering. That's bickering we'll look back on in 20 years, slap each other on the backs and say, "wha-ho, good times.""

"So you'll be Dickens characters in 20 years?" I teased her.

"You know what I mean. I know - I have no right to be bothered by Zach luring women back to the apartment with cheap beer, because I haven't told him I like him. I mean, if I had told him I like him and he was doing that, he'd be a creep of the first order. As it is, he's just exhibiting basic guy behavior - grunt, grunt, caveman stuff, which, to be honest, is a bit of the appeal of Zach."

"So why don't you tell him?"

"There's a danger here."

"The roommate thing." I said knowingly, nodding my head even though she couldn't see me.

"The band thing. Need I mention the rock 'n' roll casualties from intraband dating?"

"I know they're numerous."

"Not that there's not success stories. I mean, you've got your Cramps, your Yo La Tengo, your Kim and Thurstons."

"Sonny and Cher, the Early Years." I added with a chuckle.

"Plus, you've got bands that have survived breakups - No Doubt."

"Wish they hadn't." I said with a grimace. When I was in high school, me and a guy I was seeing, Tristan went to a No Doubt concert and ended up having a huge fight. That kind of ended my liking of the band.

"X, Supertramp, The White Stripes. But in the negative, you have –"

"Sonny and Cher, the Later Years."

"Jefferson Airplane, Fleetwood Mac. I know of two country music stars whose backup singers shot them in the groin."

"Whoa. That's wicked hate." I said with a frown.

"You've got the data. Now I need insight." Lane pleaded on the other side of the phone call.

"I think you should just tell him. This is not going away, so find the right moment, and see what he says. Don't mention that intraband dating stuff. Just follow your heart." I suggested to her.

"Heart. Ho, the girls in Heart really screwed things up big-time." Lane mentioned and I laughed.

"You'll be fine Lane. I promise. Things will work out."

"Okay." She said reluctantly. "I'll see you later."

"Bye." I shook my head at my crazy friend. I stood up and headed towards the meeting.

* * *

I used the key that was on my necklace to unlock the house. I could hear voices coming from the lounge room and followed them. Inside, I found a group of around fifteen, including Logan, Colin, Finn, Steph and Robert. I smiled and sat down on the couch next to Colin and he wrapped an arm around my shoulders.

"Okay, so is everything set for the camping trip this weekend?" One of the guys, Harrison, asked the group as he rubbed his hands together.

"The jump is set." Seth confirmed with a nod of his head. I looked at him and saw the manically glee that he had in his eyes whenever he spoke of engineering, whenever Seth got that look in his eyes you knew he was about to say something that you couldn't understand.

"Tents are set." Stephanie assured us as well. I shifted in my seat in anticipation of the weekend.

"Food and beverages are done." Logan told the group.

"I have hand chosen all of your outfits." I said gleefully. "You're welcome."

"Everything's ready then!" Harrison said with a smile. "In Omnia Paratus!"

"In Omnia Paratus!" we all cried together.


	5. Chapter 5

**We Got Us a Pippi Virgin:**

"Are you sure you can't come to breakfast with grandpa?" Rory asked me again from her spot on the couch. I was running around the apartment trying to find one of my textbook for class but when she asked me I sat up on my knees and glared at her. I crawled over to look under the couch that she was sitting on.

"I'm sure. I have to go to this class I'm already late for." I huffed as I stood back up. I walked over to giant pile of books on the coffee table and looked through the stacked books. "Yay!" I cried as I found the right textbook.

"Found it?" my twin asked with a smile. I grinned like an idiot and ran over and grabbed my book bag. Rory frowned as she thought about something. "Aren't you going to get in trouble for being late?"

"Don't worry about it." I told her with a shrug and a wave of my hand. "The old pervert never gives me any trouble."

"Please tell me you aren't sleeping with a professor!" Rory cried, finally putting down the book she was reading. I stopped in my tracks and turned to her, my eyes wide in disbelief.

"No! I'm not sleeping with a professor!" I shouted at her, shocked that she thought so little of me. She looked back at me a little sceptical so I scoffed at her and turned back around. "My professor is married, and if I recall, you are the twin you sleeps with married men!" I yelled at her as I left the room, slamming the door in her face. I stormed off as I shook my head. I knew that Rory wasn't exactly approving of the way I conducted my dating life, but lately I hadn't exactly been approving of her dating life either. I felt tears welling in my eyes that I refused to let fall. Rory and I were so different but I guess I always thought that she wouldn't jump to conclusions about me. I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand as I saw the closest coffee cart. I sniffled a little as I stood waiting in line. I looked at the time on my phone and sighed. There really wasn't any point in rushing to class if I had missed the whole first half of the lecture. I knew that Professor Hamilton would give me the class notes if I asked, without me having to sleep with him.

"You look very deep in thought, Teek." Colin commented as he came up next to me. I smiled to myself at the sound of his voice and I turned to him, moving up in line a little and he fell in step with me.

"I'm surprised you know what 'deep in thought' looks like, Colin." I teased him playfully. He chuckled and put an arm around my shoulders familiarly and I wrapped an arm around his waist and leaned in slightly. After my fight with Rory the comfort that Colin bought with him was needed and wanted immensely. We stepped forward together and I could feel Colin's gaze on my face so I turned away slightly, knowing that my eyes were a little red from the unshed tears. Colin noticed and reached out to turn my face towards him. He peered down at me with a frown on his face and concern in his eyes.

"What happened, Christa?" he asked me seriously. I was a little shocked that he used my real name and not my nickname that he and Logan gave me. I smiled at the concern and worry in his voice and shook my head.

"Nothing." I assured him. "I just had a fight with my sister, that's all."

"What was the fight about?" he asked as we stepped closer to the coffee counter. I shook my head and looked forward.

"Nothing really. Just stupid girl stuff." I said with a smile at him. I tightened my hold on his waist to assure him and he relaxed a little. As we neared the counter, he let go of me and pulled out his wallet and gave the barista a twenty dollar note before I could protest.

"A large black and whatever the lady wants." He told the guy behind the counter.

"I'll have the same." I told the guy and smiled my thanks to Colin. The guy gave us the coffees and we walked over to an empty table. We sat together in companionable silence as we drank our coffees. It was nice just to sit with Colin again. We used to do it all the time when we were seeing each other in high school. We had all been seeing each other a few months when I moved to Boston and he went to Yale. Logan didn't know that the first time we saw each other again wasn't four months after I moved at a charity events we were all made go to by their parents and my grandparents.

* * *

_I was laughing with a new friend of mine, Jessica as we walked out of the new private school my grandparents insisted I go to when she suddenly stopped walking, making me run into her back. _

_"What the hell, Jess?" I cried as I rubbed my sore head. She didn't reply to me so I stepped around her to see what she was looking at. A group of people were gathered around a red convertible parked illegally in the middle of the parking lot. I rolled my eyes at my classmate's childish behaviour. It had been two months since I left Chilton and I found that I really missed it more than I missed any other school that I had been to. It might have been because I missed my twin sister, Rory and my mother Lorelai. It might have been because I missed my grandparents. It might have been because I missed my friends. I walked down the steps of the school and frowned at the hordes of students gathered looking at the expensive car. _

_"He is so cute." I heard one of the girls whisper to her friends. I was walking away from the crowd when I heard someone wolf whistle. I turned around ready to snap at whoever had the nerve. Every day I had numerous guys trying to get with me and normally I would be all for it but lately I found that high school guys were boring and immature. It was probably because I was used to hanging out with Colin and Logan who were now in college. When I turned around the words died on my tongue and a huge grin spread across my lips. _

_"Colin!" I squealed as I ran forward and threw myself at him. My legs wrapped around his waist and my arms wrapped tightly around his neck. He laughed as he picked me up and spun me around. He stopped spinning us and pulled back to look at me. There was a huge smile on his lips that matched mine. I smiled and chuckled as I looked at him and I realised how much I had missed him that past two months. Without thinking, I pressed my lips against his passionately and he responded immediately. We pulled back, breathing heavily. I slipped down his body with his arms still wrapped around me. _

_"Happy to see me then, Christa?" he said jokingly and I chuckled before pressing my lips back to his. _

_"What are you doing here?" I asked him breathlessly, once I pulled back to look at him. _

_"I missed you." He admitted to me softly._

* * *

I groaned to myself as I pulled into Emily and Richard's circular driveway. I saw mom's jeep parked out front and climbed out of my car. I remembered that grandpa was on a business trip and made my way to the front door of the main house. I knocked on the door reluctantly and Emily came to answer it immediately.

"Christa! Come in, come in." Emily said to me with a smile. I smiled back and handed her my coat when she asked for it. I followed her into the parlour and saw a silver rectangular box. Mom was standing next to it like a car show model.

"So - hey, what's that?" I asked them both as I pointed to the thing with a frown.

"I know how to protect you from shrapnel and Agent Orange. Ask me how." Mom joked as she moved her hands to indicate at the box.

"It's a panic room." Emily supplied as she frowned disapprovingly at Lorelai.

"Like Jodie Foster?" I asked them as I walked over to look at it.

"What does Jodie Foster have to do with this?" Emily asked exasperated and I guessed that mom had already asked that question.

"So where's Rory?" mom asked me, ignoring grandma. I frowned at the mention of Rory. Since I had spent the day with Colin and I hadn't seen Rory since our fight that morning.

"I don't know." I told them with a shrug.

"Why didn't you drive here together?" Emily asked curiously. I ignored their questioning looks and walked over to look at the panic room. Before Emily or mom could interrogate me anymore there was a knock at the door and Emily went to answer it. Once Emily was out of the room, mom walked over to me and looked me over in concern.

"You okay, kid?" she asked me in concern as she rubbed my arm comfortingly.

"It's nothing." I said with a smile. I knew that I could talk to mom about what was bothering me but I also knew that she and Rory were already walking on eggshells around each other and I didn't want to put any more strain on their relationship. Mom didn't look convinced but let it go because Emily and Rory came into the room.

"What's that?" Rory asked as she came to a stop. She was looking at the panic room in confusion.

"It's a panic room." Emily explained to her and Rory nodded in understanding.

"Like Jodie Foster?" she asked Emily, making mom and I burst out laughing and Emily throw her hands up in the air in defeat.

"You guys need one for your dorm." Mom teased Emily once we stopped giggling.

"That's not a stupid thought. It'll stop a 9-millimeter shell." Emily said proudly, completely missing the teasing.

"Handy for when Suge Knight comes for tea." I said drily and mom sniggered making Emily and Rory both shot us a look.

"Why is it here?" Rory asked Emily as we made our way into the parlour so we could have our pre-dinner drinks.

"It's a long story. Come, let's have drinks and forget about the panic room. What'll you have?" Emily asked us as we sat down. Mom and I shared the couch and Rory sat on the armchair that used to be reserved for grandpa.

"Gin martini." Mom told her.

"A soda with lime." Rory decided.

"I'll have a gin martini too please." I added politely, and Emily smiled at me, mom frowned slightly but didn't say anything and Rory shot another dirty look.

"This little rinky-dink cart has nothing." Emily cried as she looked through the little drink cart.

"Dad got the big one?"

"He stole it away in the dark of night, so I'm stranded. I had our minister over a couple of days ago, and he had to go without his whiskey sour."

"I bet he excommunicated you on the spot." I said sarcastically and mom nudged me but she was smiling.

"I've got vermouth, but no gin. Perfect. Sara!?" she called out to the maid. Sara descended the stairs and hurriedly approached us.

"Yes, ma'am?"

"I need gin. Check everywhere."

"Including the bathtub." Mom joked.

"Start with the pantry." Grandma said to the maid, ignoring mom's comment.

"Yes, ma'am." Sara said to her before exiting the room to look for gin. Emily came and down on her vacant armchair near us.

"You know, the main reason I got the panic room is because I'm a woman living alone."

"Well, let the record show I did not bring up the panic room." Mom whispered me and I nodded seriously, keeping my eyes on Emily.

"Do you know I've never lived alone? I went from my parents' house to college to Richard."

"But, Grandma, you're not alone alone. Grandpa is only a few feet away." Rory said to her.

"He might as well be a million miles away. I don't even know if your grandfather would look up from his stamp collection if he heard me scream."

"That's not true." Rory argued.

"Unless his nose got stuck to the stamp in the book and he physically couldn't look up." Mom interrupted, making me giggle. Rory gave us a reproving look and mom shrugged innocently. "It happens."

"He's gone so much, he's no protection, anyway. He just left on some business trip, and it's an afterthought that he even bothered to tell me about it at all." Emily said, ignoring mom again. She was probably used to our annoying banter by now anyway.

"But he told you, so that's not an afterthought. That's a thought - a very thoughtful thought." Rory argued with Emily again.

"I'm sure it was in some way for his own convenience." She responded to Rory with a shrug. Sara returned to the room empty-handed.

"There's no gin anywhere, Mrs Gilmore." The maid explained.

"Oh, perfect." Emily said with a roll of her eyes.

"I'll check the bathtub now." Sara said and was about to leave when Emily spoke to her.

"That was a joke, Sara. Lorelai, please don't joke with the maids. It's not what they do."

"Sorry." She said through barely concealed giggles.

"Check Mr Gilmore's study." Emily told Sara and the maid nodded and left the room.

"I should just call Richard myself and drag him away from whatever business meal he is having and make him tell me."

"It's okay. Mom and Christa don't need martinis." Rory said to Emily, both turning to me and mom. "Right?"

"Yeah. Right. I'll take what you got. What's good enough for the minister is good enough for me." mom said and I nodded along with her. Sara walked tentatively back into the room with empty hand.

"Your hands are empty." Emily stated the obvious.

"The door to the study is locked." Sara explained.

"He locked the study?" Emily nearly shrieked.

"Mom, really, we don't need gin. We'll take whatever you have."

"I don't have anything. That's the problem. Come on." She said to us as she stood up.

"Come on where?" I asked hesitantly as we all stood up as well. Emily pulled a set of keys from the nearby bureau a walked off.

"I'm not going to let Richard's business trip keep you from having the drink you want." She called over her shoulder.

"Grandma, wait." Rory shouted after her as the three of us followed her out of the room. We followed Emily out the side door and were heading to the pool house where grandpa was staying. I started humming and mom turned to me with a smile on her face.

"What are you humming?" she asked me.

"Mission: Impossible theme song." I admitted with a shrug. "This all feels very top secret." I said as I ducked behind a shrub, pulling mom with me as we crouched down. We peeked over the leaves and looked before ways before rolling to the side so that we were on our stomachs on the ground. Laughing, we started to commando crawl towards the pool house. Mom put her hand up to stop me and I rolled to his behind a bush. Lorelai froze and looked around before waving her hand for me to continue. I rolled back out and started crawling again. We both stood up quickly as we got closer to the pool house, not wanting grandma to know that we had been crawling on the ground. We looked each other over so that no leaves or grass stains were noticeable before we met up with Emily and Rory at the front door to the pool house. Rory looked around nervously as Emily turned the key to the pool house and entered the darkened room, flipping on the nearby light switch so that we could see.

"Should we really be doing this?" Rory asked no one in particular. Mom and I pushed pass her to look around.

"Oh, that he can live in this squalor." Emily asked in disgust.

"It's another Calcutta. Is that open sewage?" I joked with a smile as I moved around the room.

"It certainly smells like a sewer in here."

"It's his cigars. That's the smell." Rory explained to us as she rung her hands in front of herself.

"It's more than cigars. It's debauchery."

"Yeah. Dad mentioned he had the Barbie twins up here a couple nights ago. He and his butler have a little "auto focus" thing going on." Mom remarked drily, making me laugh and Rory and Emily cringe.

"Well, the drink cart's over there, Grandma. We can grab the gin and vamoose." Rory said as she made her way over to the drink cart in the corner.

"No, she's got vamoose, remember? It's the gin we need." Mom reminded her with a click of her tongue as she looked around the room. I had finished my survey and was sitting on the couch as Rory fumbled through the alcohol bottles and Emily and mom looked through the pool house.

"He must have five packs of breath mints here. Why would a man need five packs of breath mints?" Emily asked no one.

"It could be the gorgonzola and onion diet he's on. It has its drawbacks." I joked with her and I gave myself an internal pat on the back when she smiled at me in amusement.

"Grandma, I feel kind of weird snooping like this." Rory said with a frown. Emily slid open the desk drawers and snooped through them before closing them again and wandering around the room.

"This is my property as much as his, and when we die, it'll be yours and Christa's. We're all entitled here. He's got some new books." She explained as she browsed though the bookcase.

"Hey, my Petunia Pig plate and spoon. What's it doing here?" mom called from the kitchen area. I looked over my shoulder and saw her holding up a plate and a spoon.

"Oh, odds and ends wound up out here over the years." Emily explained with a wave of her hand.

"This is neither an odd nor an end. It's my Petunia Pig and I'm taking it."

"It's not yours to take." Rory argued with our mother.

"Dad's not using my Petunia Pig spoon." Mom said stubbornly.

"I say take it." I added my opinion as I stood up and walked over to mom to see her new plate and spoon.

"Hey, Mom, what are we carrying our booty home in? Do you have a canvas bag with a big dollar sign on it?" mom joked as she showed me her things.

"Okay. Just to remind you once again, the drink cart is right over here. Oh, and I think I spot gin. It's brown, right?" Rory asked and we all laughed at her naivety.

"I love that you think that." Mom said to her when she frowned at us. I spied Emily in grandpa's closet and walked over to her.

"Looking for skeletons?" I asked her as I looked over her shoulder.

"I'm just looking."

"Oh, man. I spilled a ton of scotch on my skirt. Who's not closing these bottles?" Rory said from behind us and I looked back over at her.

"Oh, my God."

"Did you really find a skeleton?" mom asked Emily as she and I looked over to the eldest Gilmore.

"Okay, Gin - it's clear, it's in my hand, and it looks good enough for a minister. Let's go." Rory suggested to us but we were focusing on Emily.

"Oh, my God. Will you look at this?" Emily asked us in a shocked voice. She pulled out a vest dressed in colourful sequins. I shielded my eyes from the hideous thing and gigged.

"Bright." Rory said.

"And tasteful." Mom remarked dryly.

"And hideous." I added with grimace.

"It's a vest." Emily said, dumbfounded.

"Grandpa has lots of vests." Rory replied to her.

"It's got glitter. It's a glitter vest." Emily cried louder.

"So?" Mom asked her.

"So? Where would your father wear a vest like this? Certainly nowhere he ever would've taken me."

"To be fair, would you really want to go somewhere he could wear that?" I asked her with a raised eyebrow.

"Grandma, it's just a vest." Rory tried to sooth her.

"Yeah Mom. There's tons of places he would wear that." Mom told her calmly.

"Name one." Emily demanded her.

"Okay, I'm at a loss."

"This is insane."

"Mom, this is the place where unwanted things came to repose. Maybe it's a vest of his from the old days."

"Our days never included Richard dressing up like that gay fellow whose tiger tried to eat him. I have definitely, positively never seen this vest. This is a party vest."

"Okay, just put it back, Mom, and let's go."

"You put it back." Emily asked her daughter and held out the glittered vest. Mom took it off her and moved closer to the closet.

"You know, we've moved a lot of stuff around here tonight. We've got to cover our tracks." Rory said with slight panic in her voice and I snorted at her and pulled her away from the drink cart she was reorganising. I let her go when I realised that I was meant to be angry at her still.

"Where did you find it?" mom asked grandma.

"Squished in the middle, as if he was hiding it from me."

"Can you blame him? It's hideous." I said to them as I walked over.

"How dare he have a vest like that." Emily said passionately.

"Okay, the mints looked something like this, right?" Rory said as she organised the breath mints. Regardless of me being mad at her, I grabbed her shoulder and pushed her towards the door.

"That devious man." Emily muttered under her breath.

"Come on, Mom, let's go." mom said to Emily as she pushed her across the room and out the front door. I followed them pushing Rory the same way that mom had pushed Emily.

"Christa, Petunia Pig." Rory said in a half-panicked voice when she noticed mom's abandoned plate and spoon.

"Grab it." I ordered her as I walked over to the door. Rory ran back over and snatched up the plate and spoon. She made a small adjustment to a nearby vase before running out the door. I looked around the room one last time before switching off the lights and following the others.

* * *

After dinner the three of us went to Luke's diner in Stars Hollow for coffee and dessert. Rory and I were actually talking to one another again but there was still a lingering feeling of anger coming from me. We were the only costumers in the diner because it was so late.

"I have never seen Grandma so singularly obsessed about a piece of clothing." Rory said to us as we waited for Luke to bring us coffee and pie.

"Not since I wore my "Gas, Grass, or Ass - No one rides for free" t-shirt to the junior league spring tea." Mom told us.

"Do you still have that shirt?" I asked her, tilting my side to the side.

"Yeah, why?"

"Can I have it?" I asked her hopefully and both she and Rory laughed at me.

"It's yours, kid."

"Here we go. Boysenberry pie with ice cream. And two hot fudge sundaes. Half a grapefruit." Luke said as he came over and placed our food in front of us. All three of us girls frowned at the fruit Luke had set in front of us.

"I don't want a grapefruit." Rory told him with a confused frown.

"It's good for you."

"Kinda our point." I told him and Rory nodded in agreement.

"It's too late for her, but not for you two Eat it." He tried to persuade us.

"The service is very rude. No tip for you." Mom told him, before trying to us and adding, "In fact, he actually owes us a lot of money because we weren't supposed to be tipping him all these years."

"I know. Customarily, you do not have to tip the proprietor of an establishment." Rory and I said at the same time and Luke looked at us proudly before looking back at mom's reaction.

"Why have we been tipping him all these years?" she asked us.

"We like him?" I suggested with a shrug as I dug into my sundae.

"Oh, that. Hey, bring us some coffee, and I promise this grapefruit will be eaten." She said to Luke with an innocent smile.

"Okay." He said sceptically before exiting to go get us coffee.

"How long is my nose?"

"Very." I answered her between bites of ice cream. Mom looked me for a minute before looking at Rory.

"What's going on with you two? I can practically see the tension." She asked us, waving her hand as if to touch the tension.

"Rory thinks I'm a slut." I said as if it was nothing in between mouthfuls. Mom looked surprised at me before turning to a spluttering Rory.

"I do not think you're a slut!" Rory protested loudly and then looked around embarrassed.

"You asked if I was sleeping with my professor!"

"That doesn't mean I think you're a slut!"

"It means you think very little of me." I stated to her.

"I don't think you're a slut." Rory said adamantly putting her hand on mine. I looked at her, seeing if I could gauge the truth in her words. I nodded when I was satisfied that she being honest. She smiled at me and I smiled back before pulling her into a hug. Mom looked at us in amusement as we pulled apart.

"Your guys are so cute." She gushed with a smile and we rolled our eyes in unison at our mother. Rory and I went back to scarfing down our ice-cream.

"What's with the scarfing?" mom asked us once was finished with her pie.

"It's Friday night. Colin said he was going to be at a party and that I should try and stop by if I get out dinner earlier enough." I explained to her with a shrug.

"So you and Colin again, huh?" mom said with coy smile. I couldn't help the small blush that crept across my cheeks.

"Nope, just friends." I replied, biting my lip.

"Well, I figured since it's still early I'd stop by Dean's new place real quick and say hi. Is that okay?" Rory said to mom and I sent her a grateful look.

"Oh, yeah. So he's out of the parents'?" mom asked her, taking her attention off of me.

"Yeah. He's sleeping on his friend Kyle's couch. It's just temporary."

"Great. You know we could call him and have him meet us here if you want." Mom suggested and I supressed my urge to kick her.

"Really?" Rory asked sceptically.

"Yeah. Plenty of pie, ice cream, grapefruit to go around. If we twist his arm, I bet Luke will throw in some raw spinach."

"I don't think it's a good idea."

"So skip the spinach."

"You know what I mean."

"No. What?"

"It's been a little weird between you two."

"No, it hasn't.

"Mom.

"I just ran into him today. Didn't he tell you?

"Yeah. He said it was weird.

"Well, then it was only weird on his side, 'cause it wasn't on mine.

"Um-hm.

"Hey, how about we come along with you to Kyle's? He's back from the Navy, right? We could all hang out and hear his stories. He could teach us some sea chanteys, and I could tell Dean how not weird the situation is. See? That's how unweird it is for me. I'd do that." Mom suggested and I frowned at her.

"I don't want to go to Kyle's." I protested.

"Okay, so Christa can go have sex with Colin and you and I will go to Kyle's?" mom repeated and I hit her in the arm.

"No. That'd be weird, too." Rory argued.

"I don't like it this way." Mom said sadly.

"I know." Rory said, equally as sad.

"We all used to get together all the time for whatever and hang out. We had a great rhythm. I like Dean. I've always liked Dean. He has a great heart. I don't want it to be weird."

"Neither do I. Dean doesn't either."

"Well, then, what about tomorrow night? Let's all hook up then."

"All who?"

"All of us. You know - the gang - the supreme six or the super six. Take your pick." Mom explained to Rory and I frowned at the mention of 'six'. Just then Luke returned with three steaming coffee mugs. "How does that sound?"

"Bad!" I answered her.

"How does what sound?" Luke asked as he sat the coffee in front of us.

"Doing something with Rory and Christa tomorrow night." Mom explained to her boyfriend.

"You don't have to." Rory told him.

"I'm not going to." I said with a tight smile.

"No, no really. That sounds great. We can all do something together." Luke said as he nodded enthusiastically to Rory and me.

"Yeah. It's a great idea. There's a ground swell of support. Let's do it." Mom said excitedly.

"Let's not." I argued.

"Okay, if you want." Rory agreed smiling slightly.

"I don't want."

"Yeah, we want, right?" mom said and looked to Luke for agreement.

"Yeah. We want." He said with a grin and a supportive nod.

"Nope." I said as I crossed my arms over my chest.

"Good." Mom said, ignoring my protest. She turned to Rory. "Go run it past Dean."

"Dean?" Luke asked and I watched his smile evaporate.

"I'm sure I can persuade him." Rory said with a smile.

"Good!" mom said happily.

"Yeah, good. I'll see you tomorrow night. Christa, I'll see you later tonight. Or tomorrow morning." She said with a smirk and stuck my tongue out at her. She stood up and kissed mom's cheek.

"Okay. See you tomorrow night."

"Bye, Luke." Rory called as she walked out the door. Luke watched her go and scratched his head in bewilderment and then sat down in Rory's vacant chair.

"Dean? Rory's seeing Dean?" Luke asked us, irritated and I nodded my head.

"Yeah, you knew that." Mom said as if it was obvious.

"No, I didn't."

"Wha - Didn't I tell you?"

"No. Since when?"

"Since she got back from Europe." I supplied as I sipped my coffee.

"I don't believe it."

"Haven't you seen them walking around?" mom asked him.

"No. Were you hiding it?" he asked us.

"I don't live here!" I protested.

"No. I just - I wasn't sure when they wanted people to know or how I should tell people without getting hammered with a bunch of questions." Mom told him.

"Was this before he left his wife or after?" he asked but then came to a realization, "Did - did he leave her for Rory?" he asked us.

"Like those. Questions just like those." Mom pointed out and I mouthed the word 'yes' so that mom couldn't see.

"Sorry, it's just, you know, Dean and Rory together again." He said with a futile look.

"Well, you can back out if you want. I kind of Shanghaied you there."

"Can I back out?" I asked hopefully and Mom shook her head at me.

"No. We can do it. I just have to wrap my mind around it. Dean." He groaned his name through gritted teeth.

"Dean." Mom said fake happily, gesturing to the grin on her face.

"Dean." I repeat with a grimace but mom kicked my shin and my grimace turned into a fake smile.

"Dean. All right. Well, I'll be right back." Luke said to us before walking back to the kitchen. I slumped into my chair and turn to my mother with a pleading look.

"Do I have to go tomorrow night?" I asked her.

"Aren't you seeing anyone at the moment?" she asked already knowing the answer.

"None I want to introduce to you and Luke!" I protested.

"You are coming." She said to me slowly.

"Fine. I'll just stand out in the courtyard and yell at the top of my lungs, 'Hey! Anyone want to come on an awkward triple date with me, my twin sister and my mother?'." I stated sarcastically but mom just patted my arm.

"That a girl." She said and I glared at her.

* * *

I was sitting in the courtyard looking at prospective dates for my court-ordered triple date that night when Colin came up behind me with a coffee. I smiled slightly as he put the coffee on the table in front of me and leaned his head on my shoulder from behind me.

"What are you looking at?" he asked as he followed my gaze to a guy leaning up against a tree reading in the shadow on the other side of the courtyard.

"Prospective dates." I told him with a sigh. He sat down next to me as I picked up the free coffee. I turned and looked at him with a smile when I noticed his frown.

"Is this how you normally get dates?" he teased as he bumped his knee against mine. I let out a small laugh.

"No. My mother is making me go on a triple date with her, her boyfriend, my sister and her new/old boyfriend who's going through a divorce." I explained to him.

"Aren't you seeing anyone?" he asked me, still slightly confused. I snorted at that and leaned my forehead against the table in front of me.

"None I want to introduce to my family. And Dean." I added as an afterthought. He started rubbing circles on my back in a comforting manner and I smiled and turned to look at him. I folded my arms under my head and pouted. "I don't want to go on a triple date."

"Then don't." he laughed at me.

"My mom asked me to. And I actually like my mother." I told him with a smile, knowing that he and his mother didn't get along. He smiled back at me and shrugged. "What am I going to do?" I whined into my arms.

"I'll go with you." He offered and I frowned up at him.

"You want to be my date? It's going to be in my hometown."

"So?"

"It's like a freak show that took over a whole town." I explained to him but he just laughed at me.

"Now that I have to see." He said to me and kissed my cheek before standing up, taking my empty coffee cup with him. "Text me the details later." He ordered as he walked away, leaving me smiling like an idiot.

* * *

Arm in arm Colin and I strolled through the grassy town square and pausing, I turned to him with a frown.

"I'm nervous." I admitted to him. "Why am I nervous?"

"Maybe because I'm meeting your family for the first time." He teased me with a smile. I shook my head at him.

"You've already met Lorelai. And Rory." I reminded him with a smile teasing smile of my own. He grabbed my hand and squeezed it comfortingly. "I've met your parents. It wasn't this nervous racking."

"That's because I hate my parents." He supplied helpfully. "You love your mom and your sister and your mom's boyfriend."

"Not Dean." I said with a frown and Colin laughed at me.

"No, not Dean." He repeated. I groaned as he pulled me towards the four of them by my hand. Rory saw us first and pointed us out to mom. She and Luke turned around and grinned at us.

"You actually came!" she cried out excitedly and I stopped in my tracks, dragging Colin to a stop with me.

"I had the option of not coming? Pretend you didn't see me!" I ordered them and tried to back away but Colin just laughed at me and pulled me forwards again.

"Come on." He said as he pulled me over to them. I frowned playfully as mom pulled me into a hug. Luke gave me a hug to and so did Rory.

"Everyone, this is Colin McCrae. Colin, this is mother, Lorelai and her boyfriend Luke." I introduced them and they all shook hands. "And you know Rory, but this is her boyfriend, Dean."

"I've heard a lot about you." Colin said as he shook Dean's hand and I could see Dean's hand turn a little red under the pressure.

"So what's on the agenda?" I asked quickly to break the tension.

"We grab some takeout then hit the "Black, White, and Read" movie theatre." Mom answered happily as she linked arms with Luke.

"Cool." Dean said as he and Rory started to follow them.

"I miss that place. It's been forever." Rory told us all excitedly. Colin and I slowly followed them, our arms linked as well. I smiled at the familiarity of it.

"They're playing a great movie tonight. "Cool Hand Luke."" Mom told us as she nudged Luke with her elbow.

"Not too shabby." Luke said with a nod.

"Let's go get the food." I called loudly from behind them, making Colin chuckle.

"Well, good timing. No line at JoJo's." Dean said with grin and I pulled Colin back, knowing this was about to lead to a fight. Colin looked at me confused when I stopped walking and the others continued.

"I saw what you did back there." I scolded playfully. On the way to Stars Hollow I had told Colin all about the Rory and Dean saga.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He said innocently, putting his hands in his pockets. I stepped closer to him and tilted my head, considering. It had been at least two years since Colin and I were in a romantic relationship and yet when he was close to me, I couldn't help the small heat that lit up my cheeks or the memory of his lips against mine. Coming to decision, I stepped back with a smile, grabbing his hand and pulling him with me as I ran to catch up to the others. When we were caught up with the others just outside the cinema we were laughing hard. Mom smiled at us while the others looked at us strangely.

"There you are." Mom said and then handed us a bag from JoJo's. "Food. Colin, I didn't know what you eat so I got, like, everything. If you don't eat it I'm more than sure Christa, Rory or I will."

"Thanks, Lorelai, I eat anything. You kind of have to when you eat with this one." He said as he nudged me.

"Mean." I gasped playfully as I linked my arm with his. Lorelai, Rory, Luke, Dean and I entered the Black, White and Read Bookstore and looked around the vacant room.

"Hello?" mom called out.

"Are they open?" Luke asked as he looked around.

"The sign said they were." I answered with a shrug.

"Hello?" mom called out again louder. A startled Kirk popped up from the sofa and I yelped in surprise.

"I have a gun!" Kirk yelled loudly, making us all laugh at him.

"Chill out, Kirk. We're here for the movie." Mom told him.

"You were supposed to pay out front." Kirk told us.

"You weren't out front." Mom said as if he was stupid, well it was Kirk so.

"Here's $20." Colin said, handing Kirk the twenty dollar bill from his wallet.

"That's too much." Kirk said not accepting the money.

"Keep the change."

"You can get in 16 more people for that."

"Put it towards the popcorn." Colin suggested with a shrug and Kirk finally accepted the money.

"Let's sit." Rory said gleefully as she led Dean the aisle.

"That was very nice of you." I whispered in Colin ear as the others walked down the aisle after Rory.

"That was nothing." He whispered back with a smirk, making me bite my lip and follow after everyone. Colin squeezed my hand as he followed after me. The guys carried greasy paper bags as they moved to front of the room where a large, bright red sofa rested.

"Yes, yes. Ooh, let's take Big Red." Mom suggested excitedly.

"Yes, Big Red!" Rory and I said together enthusiastically.

"That's the name for the couch." Dean explained to the other guys.

"Yes, thanks. I kind of caught onto that." Colin replied sarcastically, patting Dean roughly on the shoulder as he passed him. Colin sat down next to me and I shook my head at him but he just looked at me innocently.

"Whoa, I love the emptiness." Rory said as she looked around the empty cinema.

"Ah, means we can talk during the movie." I said gleefully.

"Would people being here have stopped you?" Luke asked dubiously.

"We would have hesitated ever so slightly." Lorelai explained.

"Not if you're like Christa here." Colin said with a smile at me.

"That guy was totally out of line." I protested, remembering the time he was referring to.

"He just asked you to stop answering the characters!"

"He said it rudely!"

"He said it with a please and a thank you." Colin reminded me and I pouted and crossed my arms and the others laughed at our banter.

"Food, food!" I insisted to change the subject. Colin laughed at me and rested his arm over my shoulders. Rory and mom agreed with me and the guys opened their respective bags to dispense the food inside. Kirk walked formally to the front of the room and spoke as if to a large audience instead of just the six of us.

"Hello, everybody, and welcome to the "Black, White, and Read Theatre". How are we all doing tonight?"

"Good, Kirk. How are you?" mom asked him politely.

"Hi, Kirk!" I called out and waved spastically.

"Good, I'm Kirk. I'm very proud to announce that tonight's feature presentation is the classic "Cool Hand Luke."" He said and Rory, mom and I cheered. "But I'm deeply sorry to report that the first reel of the movie inexplicably caught fire earlier this evening."

"Oh, no!" Rory and I gasped in unison.

"That's what happens when Richard Pryor is your projectionist." Mom joked seriously.

"I can still show you the film, but you'd miss the first 25 minutes. I'd be happy to recap what you'd miss, or even act it out for you. I must say, I do a wicked George Kennedy." Kirk offered.

"What do you think?" Rory asked us politely as I and finished our burgers and mom and Luke shared French fries.

"Act it out!" I called out loudly. Luke nabbed another of mom's fries and thought about it.

"First 25 minutes are pretty important." Luke said to us.

"I agree." Dean said to everyone.

"But having Kirk re-enact things can be pretty disturbing. He totally ruined "Last Tango in Paris" for me." mom told them.

"I want to see him act it out." Colin agreed with me.

"What are our options in place of "Cool Hand," Kirk?" Rory asked the weirdo.

"I can offer you anything from the theatre's library of films."

"What have you got?" I asked curiously.

"A series of graphically violent driver's education films or "The Adventures of Pippi Longstocking.""

"Graphically violent driver's education films!" Colin and I voted for by calling out gleefully but the others shook their heads in amusement at our excitement.

"Pippi!" Rory screeched.

"Yay! Pippi! "Annika, its Pippi!"" mom quoted.

""Pippi Longstocking" it is. Enjoy your film." Kirk said as he exited. I pouted playfully and Colin chuckled at me.

"How long has it been since we've seen "Pippi Longstocking?"" mom asked us.

"Too long." Rory answered her, frowning.

"That's gotta be one of our most watched films ever." I added with a fond smile.

"Oh, it's up there." Rory agreed.

"I've seen it at least three times with you two." Dean said to Rory and Lorelai. Luke was absently munching on a French fry when he turned to us.

"Isn't it some kind of kids movie?" he asked us and Rory, mom and I all snapped around to look at him in shock.

"Wait a minute. Have you never seen this movie?" mom asked him.

"Never."

"Have you?" I asked Colin with wide eyes.

"Once." He said with a nod and I audibly exhaled. Mom looked at Rory and I gravely.

"We got us a "Pippi" virgin." She stated gravely.

"I didn't think there were any left." Rory replied solemnly.

"And it's not a kids movie." I told Luke seriously.

"It's a classic of surrealism." Rory said.

"And bizarre cinematography." Mom added helpfully.

"And atonal singing." I told him.

"And forced acting." Mom said gleefully. The room darkened and light from the screen reflected off our faces and the well beloved opening theme song from the movie began.

""Freckles on her nose, diddle diddle dee, a girl came riding, into town one day, diddle diddle dee, was quite a sight. It's Pippi Longstocking he ho ho ah he ha ha, it's Pippi Longstocking there's no one like her. Happy as can be, diddle diddle dippy, tells you stories you just wait and see, tra la la la la "" mom, Rory and I all sang along with the movie. I was acutely aware of Colin laughing silently into my shoulder.

* * *

After the movie the six of us had walked back to mom's house. Colin and I were behind everyone else laughing at their commentary of the movie.

"Did she own that house she lived in before she rode the horse into town, or did she buy it with her gold coins?" Luke asked everyone.

"That's a good question." Rory told him and patted his arm as she walked passed him into the house after mom opened the door.

"Oh, yeah, I see a prequel in the works. "The Adventures of Pippi in Escrow."" Mom joked as she kissed Luke's cheek. Colin and I were laughing silently as we walked in the house. I led him into the lounge room and we sunk down onto the couch.

"I'd go see it." Dean said to Lorelai.

"So, beverages. Shout 'em out."

"Water." Rory said.

"Coke." I called out to her.

"Coke for me as well, thanks." Colin relied.

"Beer." Luke answered his girlfriend.

"Yeah, beer sounds good." Dean agreed with Luke. I felt my eyes widen and I leaned into Colin.

"This just got interesting." I whispered to him and he turned slightly to watch the scene in front of us with interest. Luke chuckled at Dean's answer before turning serious.

"Oh, you're serious. You want a beer?"

"Yeah." Dean answered.

"Yeah, okay. Bring him a beer. He's not driving... " he said but then ended under his breath, "or 21."

"Fine. I won't have a beer."

"No, buddy, go ahead. Have a beer if you want one. You're tall. You've got slacks. You can have one."

"I don't want one anymore."

"Can I substitute something for you?" mom asked from the kitchen doorway.

"Water, I guess." Dean answered her.

"Put some barley and hops in it, buddy. No one's judging here." Luke said and Colin and I chuckled.

"Water." Dean said firmly.

"We have good water here, right Mom?" Rory said desperately.

"Oh, yeah - and I'll bring out a couple of extra beers, and those of us who want them can grab them as need be. Just keep an eye on Christa, or she'll grab them all for herself." Mom said rapidly.

"Hey!" I called out.

"Need help?" Rory asked mom.

"No, you stay, entertain. I'll be right back." Mom answered before walking into the kitchen. There was an uncomfortable silence where the guys were looking anywhere but at each other.

"Hey, remember when you guys were on a softball team together?" Rory said, trying desperately to make conversation between the two. There was another silent pause, before Dean walked to the couch and sat and Luke examined the nearby desk.

"It was just a pickup game." Dean replied.

"But you guys played a neighbouring town, right? I forget which one. Um... but I do remember that you guys did Stars Hollow proud. In fact, I think it's probably the best team Stars Hollow has ever thrown. Or however you would word that phrase I attempted in the proper softball vernacular." Rory said as she removed her jacket and sat next to Dean on the sofa.

"Yeah, well, I haven't played in a while." Luke stated.

"Same here." Dean said quietly. There was another long pause, before Rory attempted to break the silence by humming.

"Dum de dum dum dum." She hummed and I giggled at her awkwardness. Lorelai entered then with a tray of drinks, water glasses and beer bottles and Luke took one.

"What's that? A song?" she asked Rory.

"No, it's just dum de dum dum."

"Okay. Well, here are the beverages." She said as she set tray on coffee table. Colin and I each other a coke and sat back. Mom glanced around the tense room and turned to leave.

"I'll be right back." She said and then left. Rory frantically followed her.

"This has been a very interesting evening." Colin whispered in my ear and I giggled.

"Just remember that you invited yourself." I whispered back with a smile.

"It's been fun." Colin said to me with chuckle.

"Well, then I will take the credit then." I joked and he laughed. Before he could reply, mom and Rory came back in carrying something and I gasped excitedly.

"What?" Colin asked me concerned.

"Shh!" I scolded him quickly. "It's about to get good." I told him as I sat up straighter.

"Hey, look what I found. Bop It! Who wants to play?" mom said excitedly as she held up the game.

"I want to play!" Rory said with exaggerated excitement.

"Let's all play. You guys know how to play?" mom asked Luke and Dean.

"I've played it here before." Dean said somewhat unenthusiastically.

"Yeah, he has." Rory agreed.

"Yeah, I remember. Hey, Cool Hand." Mom asked her boyfriend.

"What is it?" he asked her.

"Oh, well... each guy holds one of the handles." She said as she and Rory both grip a handle. "And you start up, and then you do whatever it says. You twist it or pull it or Bop It until one of you's out. Watch. I'll be yellow. You be green." Lorelai and Rory demonstrated the game and begin by tapping the game gripped between them.

"Okay, you try it." Mom said to the boys after she defeated Rory, but neither Dean or Luke look impressed.

"Come on." Rory said encouragingly to Dean.

"It looks like Luke is green, and Dean is yellow." Mom said. Lorelai positioned the two guys and handed them the game before returning to the sofa where both girls sat.

"We've got ourselves a contest here." I said excitedly, and I bounce up and down a little in anticipation.

"Yep." Colin agreed with a grin. The two other men stood facing each other without reacting.

"You wanna do a practice run?" Dean asked Luke.

"It's not that complicated."

"Okay. Here we go." He said as he activated the game.

"Twist it." The game demanded and Dean twisted the yellow knob. "Spin it." And Luke spun another knob. "Pull it." And Dean hurriedly pulled another knob. "Pull it." And Dean quickly reacted as they both struggled with the plastic game. "Flick it." And Luke reacted quickly. They both struggled harder as they gripped the game. Colin and I sat up straight, watching the battle. "Pull it." And Luke quickly reacted. "Bop it." And Luke reacted again roughly. "Green. Twist it. Twist it. Twist it. Bop it." And Dean missed a turn. "Ow! Green wins!"

"Yeah! In your face! In your face!" Luke said taunting as he waved the plastic toy.

"Fine. You won." Dean conceded.

"I hammered you, buddy."

"It's just a stupid game."

"Says the loser."

"I gotta go." Dean said to the rest of us and he and Rory walked to the front door.

"Interesting development." Colin said to me.

"Very." I agreed with him, nodding. Rory returned from the front door with a determined look on her face.

"Thanks a lot." She spat sarcastically to Luke.

"What did I do?" Luke asked innocently.

"We shouldn't have gone out like this if people didn't want to."

"No, Rory, I wanted to."

"You made no effort."

"I did. I swear."

"Look, we can talk about this later." Mom interrupted.

"He had some sort of chip on his shoulder." Luke argued.

"Oh, come on, Luke. You're the reason we had to pull out the Bop It." Rory told him.

"What?" Luke asked, confused.

"Bop It's what we bring out for social gatherings that need mouth to mouth." I explained to both Luke and Colin, who was equally confused.

"I'm going back to school." Rory said as she grabbed her jacket and pulled it on.

"Rory, wait. I feel awful here." Luke said to her.

"No, it's okay. Whatever. Bye, Mom." She said and gave her a quick kiss. "Christa, Colin."

"Bye, honey. Drive safely." Mom said and Colin and I nodded goodbye. Luke watched her leave helplessly.

"I feel awful." He sighed as he sat down on the couch.

"I wouldn't feel too bad." I told him with a shrug and he turned to look at me.

"Why not?" he asked me as I stood up, pulling Colin up by the hand with me. I leaned down and kissed Luke's cheek.

"I don't like him either." I stated matter-of-factly and Colin nodded with me. Luke laughed at us and mom shook her head but she was smiling.


	6. Chapter 6

**Norman Mailer, I'm Pregnant**

I was trying to sneak back into my dorm room early in the morning after spending the night out with a guy I met at the pub the night before. The triple date night that Colin and I went to with my mother Luke, Rory and Dean had stirred something in me that I desperately wanting to squash, so I hightailed it to the pub and hooked up with a descent looking guy. I grimaced as the floor squeaked under my tip toes. Rory came out of her bedroom at that very moment and when she took in my bedhead, the high heels dangling from my hand and the same outfit I wore the night before she smirked at me.

"Have a good time last night?" she asked me knowingly, crossing her arms over her chest and smirking. I stood up straighter and glared at her a little.

"Yes, thank you very much." I said loftily as I walked closer to her as I walked passed her I leaned into her ear. "And again this morning." I whispered and then laughed when she scowled and playfully slapped my arm. I danced out of her reach and went into my bedroom to get changed. Rory followed me and leaned against the doorframe.

"Are you actually going to the paper today?" she asked me accusingly. I rolled my eyes at her as I stripped off my dress from the night before. I started looking through my closet for something clean to wear. I made a mental note to do laundry soon.

"Maybe."

"Doyle's handing out the beats."

"I don't care which beat I get. Unlike you, little miss features." I said with a smile in her direction before I picked up a sundress and threw it on. Rory rolled her eyes at me but she had a small smile playing on her lips.

"Don't jinx it."

"Never." I said faux serious as I sat on the bed and slipped on a new pair of heels. I stood back up and modelled the outfit for Rory.

"Glamorous." She complimented as she left the room and I followed her with a smile. She walked over to the front door and paused. "You coming?" she asked as she held the door open. I rolled my eyes and walked through the open door.

* * *

Paris jumped on Rory and me as soon as we entered the Yale newspaper office after class.

"I had a dream about you last night." She said to me, blocking my path.

"If this gets dirty, feel free to keep it to yourself." I told her playfully.

"I dreamed that in spite of the fact that you knew I wanted to be assigned the religion beat, you went behind my back to Doyle, cooked him dinner and stole it from me."

"It's just a dream, Paris." Rory told her friend with an eye roll.

"She made veal parmigiana, and it felt very real." Paris accused.

"I don't make veal parmigiana. I don't make anything, and I don't want the religion beat. I don't care what beat I get."

"Dreams tell you things. It's our subconscious talking to us. Warning us, telling us about things that are happening."

"Paris –"I tried to interrupt.

"My dream was telling me that you are stabbing me in the back with your veal parmigiana."

"Well I must have really overcooked it then." I said drily as I tried to walk around her.

"Let me smell your hands." The blonde said as she grabbed one of my hands. I pulled it back with a scowl.

"No, go away!"

"You used a lot of garlic." She said as if that explained everything.

"Bye." I snapped at her but she didn't move.

"Christa, listen to me. We're close, like, friends, and I would hate for something as trivial as competition for the religion beat to come between us."

"Oh, my God, I don't want the religion beat!"

"We could end up like the Van Burens."

"As in Mr and Mrs President?" Rory asked her with a frown.

"As in Abby and Ann. Sisters in blood, but bitter rivals. They don't even speak anymore." Paris exclaimed to the both of us.

"That's 'cause one of them is dead." I told her sharply.

"You don't want the religion beat?" she asked me sceptically.

"Oh! I'm sorry, you meant the religion beat – No! I don't!" I told her with finality. Paris spied someone over my shoulder and got distracted.

"Tenora Thomas was in my dream too, she was pouring the wine – Yo! Tenora! Where's the fire?" Paris called after a retreating blonde girl, chasing after her when she didn't stop.

"And you want me to come here more?" I asked my twin, exasperated but Rory just shrugged and walked over to her desk. I sighed and walked over to my own desk on the other side of the room. I sat down at the computer and turned it on. Instantly my IM account activated and beeped that I had a new message.

**Steph: I need a shopping partner. Interested?**

**Me: Very! Now? **

**Steph: Where r u? **

**Me: Newsroom. **

I sighed off and stood up from my seat. Rory was still in an intense conversation with Doyle so snuck out before either of them noticed.

* * *

"So are you excited for the party tonight?" Steph asked me as we looked through another rack of dresses. I looked over at my friend and smiled at her. One of the things that Steph and I had in common was our party attitude. While most girls were complete lightweights, Steph and I had been friends with Logan, Colin and Finn long enough that they were experienced with heavy drinking. They were also two of the only girls that the boys respected and allowed into their inner circle. They weren't sucked into the boy's web of seduction, lies and alcohol. Most girls were delusional when it came the boys. Once they received a little bit of attention from one of them, they became addicted and would do anything to hang on to them. Steph and I had both been the target of jealous girls in the past years. Steph especially hated those girls, mostly because she hated the fact that she used to be one. Luckily, Steph and I had become accustom to the glares and hateful words and we just fought fire with fire. Whenever the boys got word that one of us had been attacked by one of their bimbos, the bimbo in question was immediately dropped. Steph and I never told them, but somehow they always knew.

"I'm more excited for the camping trip this weekend." I said excitedly and Steph giggled as well. Steph, Logan, Colin, Finn, Robert and I were both in the Yale chapter of the Life and Death Brigade, a secret society in most Ivy League colleges. That weekend we were having a major camping trip to celebrate the new semester.

"It's going to be great." She agreed with me.

"I normally hate the outdoors but I think the massive amounts of champagne will make up for it."

"Yeah, me too. I'm not really looking forward to babysitting Finn." She said with a groaned and I grimaced in sympathy.

"I forgot that it was your turn."

"This is completely unfair because I just spent a year travelling the world with the booze hound."

"That was your choice." I pointed out with laugh but she just shrugged. She pulled out a dress and held it up to her body. I shook my head with a frown and she put it back. I looked at her for a minute, deciding if I wanted to bring up the next topic. "So, on this year long trip you and Finn never hooked up?" I asked her hesitantly and smiled coyly when she blushed. I gasped and she turned around so that I couldn't see her face. "You did, didn't you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes, you do!"

"No, I don't!"

"You slept with Finn." I hissed quietly. She turned to look at me with a guilty look on her face.

"We were really drunk!" she admitted to me and I smiled at her in sympathy. I pulled her into a hug and then we started looking through the dresses again silently.

"So, how was it?" I asked her curiously, breaking the companionable silence. Steph and I both started giggling uncontrollably.

* * *

**Colin: Time for the event. Can you get Logan from the newsroom?**

I got the message from Colin later that day and frowned in confusion. Logan hated anything to do with journalism. I had missed the meeting when Doyle handed out the beats and knew that Rory would chew me out later. I was smiling to myself as I walked into the newsroom at Yale. I knew I was late so I had bought coffee to placate our editor-in-chief Doyle and Rory, who seemed to mind that was late more than Doyle did. As I walked in, I noticed Doyle and Rory at her desk and they were talking in whispers and throwing glances over at somebody. I followed their gaze and found Logan reclined with his feet up on the desk and a press fedora covering his eyes. Logan had messaged me earlier that he was coming into the paper today but I hadn't believed him. As I got closer, I could hear them talking about Logan.

"Mitchum Huntzberger? The newspaper guy?" Rory asked the editor, semi doubtful.

"The newspaper magnet. The man owns at least twelve different papers. I've spent two years kissing Logan's butt." Doyle replied.

"Don't you mean ass?"

"Whatever. Guess it's time to pucker up again. Man, I hate those kind of guys."

"What kind of guys?"

"Those privileged, white males."

"Doyle, you're a privileged white male."

"Well, he's more privileged. And way more whiter. Why am I talking to you? Meg, why am I talking to Gilmore?"

"Hi, Doyle!" I said brightly as I walked over to them. Rory and Doyle both snapped their gaze over to me and the frown on Doyle's face turned into a bright smile. I think he had a crush on me. "How's my favourite editor this afternoon?"

"I'm good." He partially stuttered. I smiled at him and handed him his coffee and then handed one to Rory as well. "I gave out the beats, Christa, but so you can just freelance. If you want."

"That sounds great. You always know what's best." I complimented him with a wink. I walked over to Logan, who was now sitting up in his chair and watching the three of us in amusement. "I didn't forget you, Lois Lane." I said to him as I handed him one of the left over coffees and he winked at me.

"You two know each other?" Doyle asked us and I smiled down at Logan before turning back to Doyle.

"We're best friends." I explained to him. Logan stood up from his seat and came over to join us.

"And now me and my best friend are going to go do some research for a story." Logan lied to Doyle and dragged me out of the newsroom without waiting for an answer. We towards the parking lot in silence and met up with Colin, Finn and Steph in Finn's black SUV.

"Good afternoon all!" I said happily as I slid into the car before Logan. Colin wrapped an arm around me immediately and Steph smiled at me over her shoulder since she was in the front seat.

"It's not a good afternoon." Finn complained, shielding his eyes from the sun.

"He's hung over." Colin supplied helpfully and we all laughed at his expense.

"Soon you can start drinking again, Finnegan." I told him mock sympathy.

"Ah, yes, a little hair of the dog!" Logan said gleefully.

"You know if you stay a little drunk all the time, you will never be hung over."

"You'd also be an alcoholic." Colin said, giving me a look and I shot him a disbelieving look in response.

"Like he isn't already?"

"True." He said with a shrug and I rolled my eyes and smiled. I leaned back into the seat and got comfortable, leaning slightly into Colin without realising I was even doing it. We all sat in comfortable silence as we drove twenty minutes away from the campus. With a squeal, Steph and I practically jumped out of the moving car in excitement. Logan and Colin laughed at our excitement and Finn grimaced at the noise. We had arrived at a mansion and Steph and I ran inside without knocking. We went to a spare bedroom that already had our outfits for the night in them. Steph pulled a pink ball gown out of the closet and giggled in anticipation and I laughed with her. I found a purple gown hanging up next to hers and grabbed it greedily. I loved playing dress up. We both wiggled into our gowns and zipped each other up and pulled on our heels. By the time we were dressed and we had touched up our makeup, the music was pumping out of the speakers set up around the house and filling every inch of the LDB mansion. Giggling, Steph and I made our way down stairs and grabbed a bottle of tequila to share. The house was full of members of the LDB from all over the country, all dressed in formal wear.

"Beautiful as always, Teek, Steph." Logan complimented us as he walked over. We both smiled at him and thanked him. Steph spied a cute guy eying her and made an excuse to leave us and made her way over to him. I smirked at her retreating figure and turned back to Logan.

"You look handsome, Huntz." I told him with a smile and smoothed down his lapel with one hand. He smirked at me and grabbed my hand, pulling me in the lounge room. I sipped my tequila gratefully and let out a giggle as Logan and I danced, sharing the bottle.

* * *

A couple of hours later I looked over at Steph and saw that she was holding a nearly empty bottle of tequila and was glaring out into the crowd. Following her gaze, I saw Finn sitting across the room with a brunette girl sitting on his lap, nuzzling his neck while he talked to Colin. I walked over to Steph and took the bottle from her limp hand.

"Give me that, sweetie." I said softly. She let me take the bottle and I grabbed her hand and led her away from the lounge room. Her face looked so sad and vulnerable that I hated Finn at that moment. Steph was my closet female friend and my loyalty lay with her. She put her head on the crook of my neck and we staggered into an empty room.

"I like Finn." She announced to me suddenly as she flopped down on the bed and I smiled at her sadly.

"I know, babe."

"Why do I like Finn?" she asked me, frowning up at the roof.

"I don't know."

"He's an ass."

"I know."

"And an alcoholic."

"I know."

"But he can be sweet."

"That I didn't know." I told her with a chuckle as I through myself down next to her. I looked at her and noticed that she looked so sad and confused. "You want to know a secret?"

"Yes!" Steph said excitedly as she sat back up and crossed her legs on the bed. I followed her lead and sat up and copied her position which was hard to do in my gown. Her eyes glittered with mischief now instead of tears and I was happy that I could take her mind off of Finn, at least for a minute.

"I like Colin." I shout-whispered to her and her eyes widened before she broke out in giggles and I did too. Suddenly the door to the bedroom opened and Colin poked his head into the room. Steph and I immediately stopped laughing and stared at him with wide eyes and he looked at us confused and concerned.

"Are you guys okay?" he asked us warily and I pushed my lips together to keep from laughing. I looked at Steph from the corner of my eye and saw her doing the same thing. Steph nodded her head jerkily and I couldn't help it, I started laughing hysterically and so did Steph. Colin looked at us in amusement and noticed the nearly empty bottle of tequila and took it from my hand. "Okay, you two, let's get you two home."

"Okay." I said as I stood up from the bed hand in hand with Steph and walked happily out of the room. The tequila that I had been drinking all night had made me slightly giggly. Colin led us to the front of the house, grabbing my arm when I got distracted by a shiny bauble. Finn and Logan met us at the front door and Steph kissed Finn on cheek as she passed, leaving him surprised. Logan and Colin looked confused as well but shrugged it off the pulled me into the SUV. Colin climbed into the front seat since he was the designated driver.

"I need to pee!" Steph announced loudly, raising her arm in the air like she was in glass. I giggled at her from my spot next to her. Colin chuckled and pulled over. Steph opened the door but before she could get out, I stopped her.

"Wait!" I shouted and pulled out a plastic gorilla mask. I pulled it on her head, covering her face. We both giggled and the boys laughed at our drunken behaviour. "Now you can go!" I told her as I kissed the plastic gorilla lips. Steph stumbled out of the car and staggered into the public bathrooms. We sat in silence as we waited for her to come back. When Logan saw her coming he opened the opened the door for her.

"In Omnia Paratus!" she yelled as she reached the SUV and climbed in.

* * *

The next morning I woke up with a massive headache. My phone beeped on the bedside table and I reached for it so that I could turn it off. Before I turned it off, I looked at the screen and saw that I had three missed calls from mom and one from dad. Because mom had called more than once, I called her back first. As the phone rang I noticed her dry my mouth was so I climbed out of bed, groaning as I did so, and snatched a bottle of water out of my mini fridge.

"Hello?" I heard mom say.

"Hi, mommy." I mumbled as I sipped the cold water.

"Hung over, sweetie?" she asked me sympathetically and I groaned in response. "I'll make this quick then. Did you know that Sherry left your dad?"

"Yeah. I've been helping him with Gigi when the nanny can't." I told her honestly. "Don't worry I haven't missed any classes. At least not because of dad."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"It's not my news to tell." I said quietly, with a shrug. "How did you find out anyway?"

"Your dad called me."

"When?" I asked curiously.

"Yesterday. He was freaking out because he couldn't stop Gigi from crawling out of her crib, and you know, I do have to hand it to him, he gets extra points for the very original duct taping of the diaper move. That place was a wreck."

"You went over there?"

"Oh yeah. But I calmed him down, and, you know, we sort of got the place in order and I think everything's going to be okay. I'm going to go back on Monday and just make sure that everyone's still breathing."

"Oh. Well, that's very nice of you." I said distractedly. "That must be the miss call from him. he normally calls me when he has trouble."

"Well, now I know and I'll help out to."

"Mommy, do you think you can get me out of Friday night dinner? I know it's my week but I have a massive headache." I asked her with a frown that she could see. I only went to Friday night dinners every two weeks, unlike Rory and mom who had to go every week.

"Sure, kid. Just rest up. Lots of water. Maybe a taco."

"Sounds good. I got to go. Thanks for helping dad and for getting me out of The Last Supper re-enactment." I thanked her profusely and then hung up the phone and lay back down and groaned.

* * *

I was walking with Logan and Mark one of our friends from LDB through the courtyard when I noticed Rory leaning against a pillar.

"It was funny, man, you should have been there." Mark said to Logan and we laughed.

"Hey, Huntzberger!" Rory called out from behind us. I waved at Mark to move on and he nodded and smiled at me before leaving.

"Hey! You waiting on me?" Logan asked my twin with a genuine smile and I smirked to myself, thinking how much better Logan was for Rory than Dean.

"Could be." Rory replied with a smirk and I recognised the twinkle in her eyes. It was the look she always got when she was onto something and it made me nervous.

"Wow, I'm flattered."

"Your prerogative."

"Is this going to get dirty? Because if it is, I don't really want to be here." I teased them. Logan chuckled and nudged me but Rory just glared at me a little and didn't answer.

"You here on business or pleasure?" Logan asked her with a smirk and I tilted my head curiously.

"I just thought maybe I'd give you a chance to respond to my article?"

"What article?"

"Your music downloading article?" I asked her, confused as to why she would want Logan response to that.

"The article I'm doing on the Life and Death Brigade." Rory answered me and I quickly masked my surprised and nervousness and looked confused.

"Don't really know what you're talking about." Logan told her faking confusion as well.

"You don't? Huh. I thought you would. It's a club. One of these super-secret, super exclusive clubs here at Yale, membership spans a thousand centuries, secret handshakes and secret sayings, and a lot of running around in circles in your underwear, that kind of thing."

"Sounds pretty secret."

"Yeah. Anyhow, I'm doing sort of an expose on this one particular club and I figured, since you're in it, maybe you'd like to have your point of view included."

"I'm in it." Logan repeated fake dumbfounded.

"Well aren't you?" Rory asked knowingly with a smirk.

"I've yet to run around in a circle in my underwear." He said truthfully and smirked as well.

"At least not for a secret club, right?" I joked with a laugh and he chuckled.

"Well. Okay. I mean, I have proof that your grandfather was in it, which means that your father was in it. Which should mean that you're in it. But maybe not. Okay."

"I've met your grandfather. He is kind of old school." I teased.

"Sorry to let you down." Logan said.

"No let down. It would have been nice, but I have plenty of stuff without you, and I'm sorry to have bothered you."

"You have plenty without me, huh?" Logan asked her, trying to gather information.

"Oh yeah! I have the ball gowns, the girl in the gorilla mask, In Omnia Paratus – very fancy catch phrase, by the way – the license plate on the black SUV, and about a dozen other little things. I mean, getting an interview with an actual member would have been great. But I'm okay without it." Rory said with a shrug and I nearly visually flinched at how much she had.

"Well, great." Logan replied with a tight smile, that if I didn't know him as well as I did I would swear was real.

"Yep. Plus I'm completely onto your routine now."

"Wow." I mumbled in awe at her determination. "You're turning into Paris."

"Yeah." She agreed with me. "So I figure I'll just track you, and you'll eventually lead me there anyway. So, hey. I mean it would have been easier if you just would have talked to me now, but I can do it the other way if you want."

"The other way." Logan said with a small smile.

"Yes."

"You tracking me."

"Yes."

"Following my every move?"

"Yeah."

"I pick that way."

"Okay, but –"

"We can start right now, if you want. I'm heading back to my room, I can keep the window open in case you feel the need to sneak in, and track me from the inside." Logan told her with a wide smile and I could see the genuine amusement in his eyes. It was something that didn't normally see when he was flirting with hi bimbos. It was normally reserved for the boys, his sister Honor or me and Steph. It made me happy to see that Rory could bring it out in him.

"Thanks for the info." She said, looking a little flustered.

"Absolutely." He said and he turned to leave. Before he walked more than a few steps, he turned back and around and started walking backwards. "And hey, good luck with that article. Sounds like a hell of a scoop."

"Good luck, twin." I said as I followed Logan. We were going to have to talk to the LDB because once Rory got onto something there was no way she would leave it alone.

* * *

Later that afternoon, I was leaning on the wall outside the newsroom waiting for Logan. After nearly two hours of arguing, Logan, Colin and I had convinced the others in the group to let Rory come on the camping trip that weekend. We had argued that since Rory wasn't going to leave it alone now that she found the thread, it would be beneficial to us if we let her in, so that we could control how much she saw. Of course there were conditions to her coming but in the end having Rory come this us would benefit the LDB. It also helped me because it was getting hard to keep lying to Rory. I looked up as Logan exited the newsroom and smirk on his lips.

"She take the bait?" I asked knowingly with a smirk of my own.


	7. Chapter 7

**You Jump, I Jump, Jack:**

I jogged up the driveway from my car, struggling to put my heel on one handed. I squealed when I missed the step and quickly stood back up and hobbled over to the door. I rang the doorbell hesitantly and I waited for the maid to answer the door. I smiled at the timid girl as she moved back to reveal my grandmother Emily.

"Oh, I'm late." I said apologetically.

"I know." She said in an even voice and I shrunk back a little. She turned and headed towards the parlour and I followed after her. She stopped walking and turned to me when I started explaining why I was late.

"Blame the insane people driving in front of me. They had a "honk if you love to scuba dive" bumper sticker on the back of their car, so I honked." I explained to her.

"You don't scuba dive."

"Yes, but I've been testing people who have "honk" bumper stickers lately to see if they really want people to honk. Guess what? They don't. I lay on my horn, and this alleged scuba diver slows to a crawl in front of me just out of revenge, and I'm screwed."

"You need a hobby."

"Yes, actually."

"Come on, your mother and Rory are waiting." Emily said as she turned back around and made her way into the living room where mom and Rory were waiting for me.

"Hey, what happened?" Rory asked with a frown.

"She honked." Emily told them as she sat down on an armchair and I sat down next to mom on the couch.

"Oh, another bumper sticker test." Rory said knowingly and I nodded at her with a smile.

"I just thought up a great idea for a reality show. You pull people over who have those "honk if you love whatever" bumper stickers, you kidnap them, and you make them do whatever the bumper sticker says they like to do, whether they do it or not. And then you make them eat bugs." Mom suggested to us and we nodded to her while Emily shook her head in exasperation.

"So I hear you have a new boyfriend." Emily said to Lorelai, interrupting what I was about to say to mom in response.

"How did you - ?" mom gasped as she turned to her mother and then to Rory accusingly.

"Not from me." Rory protested, outraged by the suggestion. "Why didn't you jump on Christa?"

"Because Christa wouldn't risk me telling my mom about whom she's seeing." Mom said pointedly and caught Emily's attention. My eyes widened and I turned to her in disbelief.

"Who's Christa seeing?" Emily asked us, her attention peaking at the thought of maybe marrying off one of her granddaughters. Rory, mom and I shared a terrified look before we all turned back to Emily with society polite smiles.

"I'm not seeing anyone important, Grandma. Just stupid college dating." I assured her and she smiled slightly and nodded before turning back to Lorelai.

"You have a new boyfriend?" she asked again.

"How, Mom?" mom asked her again.

"Kirk told me." she said simply as if she talked to him every day.

"Kirk?" I asked in disbelief.

"Kirk who?" mom asked.

"How many Kirks do you know?" Emily asked her arrogantly.

"My Kirk? Stars Hollow Kirk? Kirk who hasn't started shaving yet, Kirk? How did you find out from him?"

"I called the Inn looking for you, and Michel answered, but he was in the middle of some argument with the horse veterinarian. Then there was a cracking sound and the phone went dead. Then there was another man's voice saying "hello"."

"Kirk?"

"Bob."

"The gardener?"

"More twists than Oh Henry." Rory exclaimed as we listened intently to Emily's story.

"He told me something in a heavy Spanish accent, all while Michel was yelling at the vet in French –"Emily continued.

"I leave and the UN erupts." Mom joked.

"Then Kirk came on. He was there delivering something. And when I told him I was looking for you, he said you were probably at your boyfriend Luke Danes' house. Now why were you hiding it from me?"

"I wasn't hiding it." Mom insisted.

"You jumped on Rory when you thought she told me. You were hiding it."

"I wasn't hiding it. The only reason I reacted to Kirk the way that I did is that he's not in this world, he's in my other world. It's as if I, out of the blue, told you I was having tea with Mrs Van Uppity."

"Who?"

"Hortence Van Uppity, tight bun, lace collar, tiny poodle... fictional friend?" I explained to her for mom.

"You keep so much from me with these separate worlds of yours. It's not right." Emily told her daughter.

"I will try harder to merge the worlds. I promise."

"Well, start now. I want to meet this Luke Danes."

"You've met him."

"Not in this capacity. I need to re-meet him."

"Well, I'm sure that day will come."

"Next week."

"What?"

"You have a gentleman friend of significance."

"Rhett is my gentleman friend, yes." Mom mocked in a fake southern accent, making me and Rory both giggle and glare at her.

"So it's only proper that you introduce him to your mother. Unless he's insignificant; I don't want to meet a passing ship. That's a waste of my time. Is Luke a passing ship? Is he insignificant?"

"No, he's not"

"I'll get my book and we will pick a date next week."

"Mom –"

"Next week."

"I –"

"Next week." Emily insisted again sternly before standing up and leaving the room. The three of us all looked at each other with wide eyes.

"Honk if Emily Gilmore views your mind as her personal playground." Rory said to us.

"Honk, honk." Mom and I said in unison.

* * *

Colin and I were walking through the courtyard together in comfortable silence as we made our way to Finn's SUV to go on our LDB camping trip. He had his arm flung over my shoulder and me arm was around his waist. Anyone who didn't know us would assume that we were a couple and I smiled to myself a little.

"So, you excited to finally let Rory in on the big secret?" Colin asked me, lowering his voice to a whisper when he said 'big secret'.

"Yes, I am." I said with a laugh. "I really hate lying to her."

"I know. It makes me really glad that I'm an only child." He joked as we got closer to the black. I opened the door and jumped in next to Logan. Finn was in the driver's seat, shielding his eyes from the sun and Stephanie was sitting next to him in the passenger seat. Colin climbed into the very back so that there was room for Rory next to me and Logan.

"Hello everyone." I said in greeting and Finn just grumbled at me in response.

"Hey, Christa." Steph said brightly and I kissed her cheek as I climbed pass her into the far side of the SUV. Finn groaned at me from the front seat.

"Quiet!" he demanded and I slapped him on the back of the head, making him wince and he others laugh. Once everyone was in the car, Finn sped off towards Rory and my dorm room where she was supposed to be waiting, blindfolded in the dorms vestibule. Finn pulled the car into park suddenly and we all jerked forward. I leaped to slap him again but Logan pulled me back, chuckling silently. Once I calmed down, he climbed out of the car to go and get Rory.

* * *

**Rory POV:**

I was standing blindfolded in the Branford college vestibule as other students walked by. I was starting to get a little nervous that this was just a prank when I felt someone standing behind me. I immediately tensed and tried to ignore the fluttery feeling in my stomach.

"Hey, Ace, you ready?" Logan asked me, his voice right near my ear.

"Well –"I started to reply but before I could get out more than one word he had hold of my arm and was pulling me along. I stumbled as he pulled me along by my elbow and was thankful that I wasn't wearing the high heels that Christa preferred. I heard the sound of a car door opening and then Logan was pushing me into a car. I stepped blindly into a SUV, probably the same one that I saw the other day. I was in the middle seat and I could feel someone on my left and Logan sliding on the right.

"Hit it!" Logan called as he slammed the door.

"Ah! Not so loud!" someone with an Australian accent, Finn said from the driver's seat.

"You're very auditory sensitive today." A familiar, yet unfamiliar female voice said from the passenger seat.

"Oh, and your voice helps." Finn snapped at her.

"Is the blindfold secure?" another male voice, Colin said from behind me. I smiled a little at the sound of my sister's whatever.

"Secure and in place." Logan assured them.

"Our anonymity's crucial, Logan. Crucial." Colin insisted sternly and I heard a familiar female laugh to my left.

"That's not what you were saying that time we broke into the zoo." Christa reminded him with a chuckle. "I believe you were the one posing for the camera."

"Like the police can identify me by my ass." Colin replied, making Christa and Logan both laugh at him.

"Christa?" I asked, trying to bring the attention back to me. "You're in the Life and Death Brigade?"

"Of course I am, sweetie. It's a secret society. How does that not have me written all over it?" she asked rhetorically and I could practically see the smirk on her lips. Before I could say anything, Finn groaned from the front seat.

"What's wrong with Finn?" I asked no one in particular.

"Great job with the blindfold, Logan." Colin said sarcastically from the back seat.

"I recognized your voices, Colin."

"Could everyone keep it down, please?" Finn moaned from the front.

"Can we remove the blindfold now?" I pleaded with either Logan or Christa.

"We're also hiding our destination." Christa told me gleefully.

"We had to leave at this ungodly hour." The Australian complained.

"It's four in the afternoon." I exclaimed.

"He's got a thing about the sun." Logan explained to me.

"It's too bright." Finn supplied.

"So how come you're not wearing your gorilla masks?" I asked them, my journalism instincts kicking in.

"She can see." Colin exclaimed manically and then I heard him grunt as someone thumped him.

"I can tell because your voices aren't muffled." I told him calmly.

"She's sharp." The female in the passenger seat spoke up.

"Who's the girl?" I asked.

"I've been told we've met. I've no memory of it."

"Oh, Gorilla Girl."

"Oh, well, isn't that a pretty nickname." Christa said cheerfully.

"Oh, by the way, this thing's overnight." Logan told me happily.

"Overnight?" I asked warily because I had plans with Dean that night. I internally debated with myself for a second before coming to a decision. With this story I could make a name for myself at the Yale paper.

"Didn't I mention that before?" Logan asked innocently.

"Oh, must have slipped your mind."

"That doesn't screw up anything for you, does it?"

"No." I lied through my teeth. "Christa's to my left, right?" I asked Logan.

"Yeah, why?" he replied, confused.

"No reason." I told him innocently. I felt on my left side and felt a skinny leg resting just next to mine. Using all my strength a punched her thigh and smiled smugly when she cried out in pain.

"Ow!" she cried loudly. "What the hell was that for?!"

"You know what that was for." I told her calmly, rubbing my hand as it throbbed from hitting her to hard. She had known that I had plans with Dean this weekend and had already known that this expedition was an overnight one. She could have stopped me from making plans with Dean. It wasn't any secret that she didn't like him so I suppose I would have ignored her anyway.

"So, no plans?" Logan asked me, ignoring the sisterly exchange. "Hmm. Loose schedule. Good."

"We like our schedules loose, like our women." Finn said from the front and then I heard him groaning in pain as Logan leaned over me and grabbed Christa, who I could feel leaning forward in her seat.

"Clever." Colin told Finn sarcastically from the back seat. "Saying something like that in front of, Teek."

"Not like it isn't true." The other girl joked from the passenger seat.

"Hey!" Christa said indignantly.

"My God, it's early." Finn complained.

* * *

**Christa POV:**

We pulled to a stop in the heavily wooded forest and we all climbed out of the car. Rory was still blindfolded so Logan had to guide her, which I'm sure was pissing her off. Something we had in common was that we were both very independent and didn't like to have to ask for help. It was a trait that both our mother and father had as well. Nearby there was a table with old-fashioned lanterns on it and I smiled to myself in excitement. The six of us stood together for a moment before Finn sprung up with glee.

"This mountain air has revivified me." he declared and ran off laughing manically.

"Make sure he doesn't run off a cliff." Logan ordered whoevers turn it was to look after Finn. I smiled in sympathy at Steph, whose turn it was.

"Stephanie, it's your turn." Colin reminded the pretty blonde. Steph grimaced at me and I pulled her into a quick hug before she left.

"Finn! You slow down!" she called out as she grabbed a lantern from the nearby table and followed him to the campsite. I wanted to stay with Rory and Logan to make sure that she settled in so I turned to Colin with a smile.

"I'm going to go with Logan and Rory. I'll meet up with you later?" I asked him and he just put an arm around my shoulders and turned to Logan.

"Lead on, Huntzberger." He ordered the other boy.

"You okay?" I asked my twin in mock concern. "I know that you used to be afraid of the dark and all."

"I smell trees." Rory stated, ignoring my jab about the dark.

"Oh, nothing gets past you." Colin told her as Logan chuckled and grabbed a lantern. Colin grabbed a lantern also and we followed Logan and Rory into the woods.

"If you go into the woods today, you're in for big surprise." I sang under my breath and Colin laughed at me, pulling me into his side tighter.

"So the firing squad is just up ahead?" Rory asked.

"Yup, and there's a line. Damn." Logan joked before stopping.

"Seriously, Logan, is the blindfold coming off, or am I Patty Hearst-ing it the whole trip?"

"It's coming off. It's coming off right now." He told her as he pulled off the blindfold. I watched as her eyes widened. As she looked around campsite full of white tents, candles, lanterns and turn of the century furniture I grinned widely. I was proud of myself for helping plan the event.

"Oh, my." Rory said in awe and the three of us LDB members looked around happily. Colin and I started leading Rory and Logan through the tents. I linked my arm with Colin's and looked over my shoulder at my twin sister with a grin.

"Is this what you expected?" I asked her knowingly.

"No, not at all what I expected." Rory said, confirming my suspicions.

"Let me guess what you were thinking: sleeping bag, flashlights, keg, three boxes of stale Triscuits, half eaten bag of Oreos, some Doritos and a bong." Logan guessed with a laugh.

"Um, who has Oreos and not eating them immediately?" I asked rhetorically and all three of them laughed at me.

"That may be exactly what I pictured." Rory joked. At least I think she was joking.

"You can apologize later. This is yours." I told her as we got closer to her tent. I opened it for her with a smile and she walked to the opening and looked in.

"Mine?" Rory asked sceptically.

"Not much closet space, but the view's decent." Colin joked as Rory went inside the tent.

"It's cosy." She said as she looked around the tent.

"Festivities start in half an hour." Logan told her as he turned around to leave. On the way out he kissed my cheek and left with Colin following after him. Rory sat on the bed and pulled out her phone, shooting me a glare as she did so.

"Dean, hi. It's me. I got your call. I would love to have dinner with you tonight, but something unbelievably unexpected came up, and it's going to keep me busy for a couple of days. I'd give you more info, but it's all a little Dali-esque and hard to explain. I'll fill you in when I get home. If I get home. Just kidding. I hope. Bye." She hung up and turned to me with a frown. "You're in a secret society."

"Yep." I admitted as I threw myself down on the bed next to her.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"It's a secret society, darling." I reminded her with a laugh. She pulled a face at me and we both laughed. "I'm sorry, Rory." I told her sincerely as I squeezed her.

"It's fine. I get why you didn't tell me. It is after all a secret society, darling." She mocked me and I playfully slapped her arm.

* * *

After getting changed into my turn of the century outfit, I made me way out of my tent and went to join in the festivities. People greeted me happily as I walked past them and I returned their greeting. Logan came and joined me in the line to get food and I smiled at him.

"Hey, Huntz." I greeted him with a half-hug.

"Evening, Teek." He said with a smile as he picked up different food and put them on his plate. "Where'd Ace run off to?" he asked and looked around as if Rory would magically appear out of thin air. I looked at him careful with a smirk.

"You like her." I stated with a knowing smile. He turned to me with a frown.

"What are you talking about?"

"You like Rory."

"No." He said as he shook his head in denial. I gave him knowing smile and left the subject alone. In all the time that I had known Logan, he had never admitted to liking a girl, least of all had a girlfriend. Ignoring me, Logan picked up his plate. Robert came up next to me and looked around for Rory, since I hadn't seen her since I left in her tent a couple of hours ago.

"Robert have you seen Rory?" I asked him and he looked at me confused as to who the hell I was talking about. I sighed and rolled my eyes. "The reporter chick?"

"Oh! Yeah, she wandered off into woods." He told me with a shrug. I frowned at that and turned to look down the trail. Logan followed my gaze and nodded his head for me to follow him. Logan and I walked down one of the trails that lead into the woods and I saw Rory is sitting under a tree in view of the camp. Logan and I walked toward her with a lantern and a plate each.

"How goes it, pariah?" Logan called out as we got closer.

"Having fun yet?" I asked her as we approached her.

"Logan? Christa?" Rory asked as we sat down next to her on the log.

"Word was a bear dragged you off." I joked with her and gave her a nudge.

"No bear, I just wanted a quiet place to collect my thoughts." She explained to us as she put down her notepad.

"You found it." Logan told her. Rory looked at the plate Logan was holding and shook her head.

"Thanks, I've eaten." She told him and Logan and me both gave her weird look.

"Good. This is for me. Sorry you're not getting much from the group. Took a little arm-twisting to get them to agree to let you come in the first place." Logan apologised to her.

"And a bunch of blackmail." I added with chuckle and Logan shook his head in amusement.

"I don't need their cooperation. I've already filled two notebooks without their cooperation. Half of one without using the letter 'e', but I could use yours." Rory said to us.

"Way too much salt on this." Logan complained to me. I took a bite off his fork and nearly gagged.

"I mean, this is pretty incredible, but it's just a preamble to the big stunt tomorrow, right?" Rory asked, ignoring our private conversation.

"It's Finn, he's Australian. They like salt." I explained to Logan with a shrug.

"How do you pay for this? Are there dues, or do you chip in, is there alumni sponsoring it? How is it organized? And what is happening tomorrow? Is it just as big, or bigger? And do people know that you're here? Park Rangers or the landowner? Where are we? Are we still in Connecticut? And your answer cannot include the word salt." Rory asked us, slightly exasperated with our lack of focus.

"Okay. I think it's time to fill you in on the conditions of you being here." Logan told her and put down his plate.

"Okay." Rory said, sitting up straighter.

"First, no pictures." I told her as I picked up her camera and slipped it behind me.

"Hey!"

"Aw, you'll get it back at the end of the trip." I told her with a smile.

"Second, no names." Logan interrupted whatever Rory was about to say.

"I'm not exactly being introduced to anyone as it is." Rory protested with a wave of her hand.

"Third, no physical descriptions of any of us. There are authority figures up and down Connecticut trying to nab us for things we may have done in the past. Naughty things." Logan told her and I giggled in fond memory of some of the things that we had done with the LDB.

"Keep you anonymous." Rory agreed with a nod.

"What number am I on?" Logan asked me with a frown.

"Just at third." I reminded him as I looked through the photos on Rory's camera.

"Fourth, no identification of our location."

"I don't know where we are." Rory said to him.

"Fifth." Logan started to say.

"You're going to run out of -ifths." Rory interrupted.

"Most important condition of all. You must agree not to interfere with the integrity of the event." I finished as I put the camera away and looked at her seriously.

"What is the event, and how could I interfere?" Rory asked us eagerly and we both chuckled at her.

"So you agree?" I asked her.

"Yes, I agree." She said reluctantly and then we heard the camp break out in song up the end of the trail. "It's pretty."

"It's drunk." Logan said through a mouthful of salty food.

"Well it sounds pretty. I like it."

"I didn't say I didn't like it."

"Logan?" a girl's voice called from just outside the camp ground. I thought her name was Kerry but I didn't really keep track of Logan's flings.

"Yeah?" Logan called back to her, keeping his eyes locked on Rory while I just watched in amusement.

"You coming?"

"I'll be right there." He called out and I frowned at him and narrowed my eyes. "I'll leave the light for you, Ace. I won't need it." He said to her as he stood up, taking his plate, and made his way up to Kerry.

"Hurry up, darling."

"Here I am." I heard him say faintly, and I turned in my seat and saw him walking up to her. I turned back to Rory and saw her frowning at Logan's retreating figure as well and I chuckled silently. I stood up as well and Rory's attention turned back to me.

"Well, I'm going to get hammered and find a guy to make out with." I announced as I stretched.

"Tell Colin I said 'hi'." She teased me and I glared at her. Hours later after the sun had set long before and the moonlight was shining through the tree tops, I was half way through my second bottle of tequila and was talking to Steph happily when I heard someone call out to me behind me.

"Teek!" I heard someone call out to me. I turned around and saw a half-drunk Colin stumbling over to me. I laughed at him as he caught up to me and grabbed his arm as he stumbled into me.

"Hello there, Colin. Found the alcohol then?" I asked him rhetorically and he nodded his head enthusiastically. I laughed at him and wrapped an arm around his waist to help him over to the closest log seat. I sat him down and sat next to him.

"You are so pretty." He told me in a whisper and I turned to look at him in confusion. He looked at me sincerely and moved a strand of hair behind my ear.

"You really are drunk, aren't you?"

"Yes." He said honestly with a nod. "But that does make it any less true."

"Oh, so drunk." I laughed at him. "You are going to be so hung over tomorrow."

"That's also true." He agreed as he grabbed my hand and played with my fingers. We sat silently for a moment and I just let him play with my fingers and enjoyed the sensation of his skin against mine. "You are so pretty." He told me again and I laughed at him again as I leaned against his shoulder. I grabbed his hand and pulled him up with me.

"Let's get you to bed." I told him as I led him towards his tent.

"Bed! Good idea!" he said enthusiastically and jogged in front of me, pulling me along behind him. I laughed as I jogged to keep up with him, stumbling a little in my drunken haze and my heels. People looked at us as we passed but we ignored them. As we reached his tent, he held open the tent flap to let me in first and I giggled.

"Such a gentleman."

"At your service, milady." He replied and I giggled again as I walked past the open flap. He came in behind me and grabbed waist, turning me around to face him. My breath caught as I realised how close we were. The tequila I had been drinking all night must have been playing keep away with my intelligence because the next thing I did was stupid. I neared up on my toes and pressed my lips against his desperately. He kissed me back just as passionately and my hands wrapped around his neck, pulling us closer together and even that wasn't close enough. Taking his lips off of mine, Colin trailed kissed down neck to my collarbone and moaned in pleasure. Not touching enough of him, I pulled away and started tugging at the bottom of his shirt. Taking my lead he pulled his shirt off and slipped mine over my head and threw it somewhere in the room. Our lips found each other again hungrily and we stumbled over to the bed. We fell onto the bed and tugged at our pants until they were off. The rest of the night of a blur of kisses, panting and laughter.

* * *

I woke up the next morning with a killer headache and an arm wrapped around my waist. In my haze, my instincts kicked in and I sat up and tried to remove the arm without waking up the owner. I heard the guy groan and then he rolled over and moved his arm off of me. I sighed in relief and slipped out of the bed. I was naked so I looked around the room for my pants and shirt, frowning in confusion. I found my panties and slipped them on as I continued to look for my other articles of clothing.

"Christa?" a familiar voice asked from the bed and I turned back around in confusion. Colin was lying on his stomach, leaning on his elbows.

"Hey." I said a little hesitantly. It wasn't the first time that we had slept together but it had been a while so I was a little nervous.

"What are you doing?" he asked, confused. I went back over and lay back down next to him.

"Instinct took over. Had to get the hell out of here." I explained with a laugh and he joined me, knowing what I was talking about. He kissed my stomach and I giggled when it tickled. That kiss on the stomach lead to another round of sex and as we both laid there I sighed and reluctantly untangled myself from him.

"I better go get here for the event." I told him with a small smile. He nodded in understanding and let me go. I stood up and looked around for my stuff. I slipped on the pair on panties that I found lying on the floor and the jeans that we had thrown away the night before. "How you seen my bra?" I asked him as I looked for it.

"No. Do you really need it though?" Colin asked me with a smirk and I chuckled and smirked back at him. I found my shirt and put it on. Arms encircled my waist and pulled me against a hard chest and I smiled up at Colin as I felt all of him press against me. He kissed the nape of my neck and moved my hair out of the way so that he had better access. I moaned in pleasure and tilted my head to the side as he kissed down my shoulder.

"I have to go." I told him softly. He made a noise of agreement but didn't stop nibbling my neck. I turned around in his arms and kissed him passionately. As I pulled away from him we smiled at each other. "I have to go."

"I know." He said as he kissed lightly. I headed for the entrance to his tent and stopped when he grabbed my arm.

"I'll see you later, Teek?" he asked, I swore I thought it was panic in his eyes. I nodded and smiled at him as I left his tent. I smiled wider as I thought about the night before. Something about me and Colin felt right. I knew that it wouldn't amount to anything but being together was the closest thing I had felt to wanting a relationship. On my way to my own tent to get ready for the event I ran into the red faced Stephanie. We practically ran right into each other and looked at each other wide eyed and embarrassed.

"Finn?" I asked her knowingly. She nodded at me, looking slightly happy, slightly mortified.

"Colin?" she asked me in response and I nodded jerkily. We both started giggling uncontrollable at our smuttiness and walked with each other to our tents, since they were next to each other. We didn't talk about what had happened the night before, instead we just made small talk. As we got to my tent I said goodbye to Steph and went in to find a white dress box on my bed. Confused, I walked over to it hesitantly and opened the envelop that was sitting on top of it. I smiled happily as I read the note from Colin. I threw the note on the bed and hurriedly opened the white box. I gasped as I saw the deep purple dress. I picked it up and held it up against my body and looked in the mirror. I already had a dress picked out for the event but the one from Colin was very more beautiful. Smiling, I slipped into the ball gown and smoothed it out. I did my hair and makeup and checked the time. I swore when I saw that I was running later and left the tent. I tried to run but kept slipping in my heels. On my way there I ran into Logan and Rory. Logan was all decked out in a tux and Rory was in a beautiful pale blue ball gown.

"Hey guys!" I said happily as we all ran together towards the open field. The other members of the LDB were standing in a semi-circle near a giant gong.

"We're late." Logan told Rory as he pulled her along by her arm.

"For what? The ritual sacrifice?" Rory asked as she tried to keep up in her heels. Everyone was standing in tuxedos and ball gowns, listening to Harrison talk.

"I do declare here gathered, one hundred and eighth assembly of the honourable Life and Death Brigade." Harrison said loudly so that everyone could hear. Rory, Logan and I snuck in and Finn handed glasses of champagne to Logan and Rory while Colin handed one me, kissing my cheek in the process.

"He's using 'e's." Rory exclaimed about Harrison.

"Please raise your glasses. In Omnia Paratus!" Harrison cried and raised his glass.

"In Omnia Paratus!" I and everyone else except for Rory repeated after him. I turned to Colin and we smiled as we linked arms and feed each other our champagne.

"Now you might want to cover your ears." Logan told Rory and then covered his ears like the rest of us. The large gong in the middle of the felid was covered by a piece of fabric and Harrison uncovered it.

"Why?" Rory asked but no one answered her because Harrison was already banging the gong, making it clang loudly. Everyone cheered and ran into the field. I laughed as Colin grabbed my hand and started to pull me away.

"And to think some groups just go bowling." I called out to Rory who was watching in awe.

A game of polo was being played as I walked past with Rory. The men were carrying carts which held the ladies, who are leaning out the side, hitting a ball with mallets. Rory and I watched from the sidelines. She starts to wander over to another area, where some guys are playing a game of human targets. One jumped off a table sideways onto a landing mat while another shot at him with a paintball gun. I laughed at the sight and pulled Rory closer. Colin had left me earlier to help set up and big event so I had gone to find Rory. When I found her, she was walking around aimlessly so I decided to help her. I saw Logan and Finn playing human targets further down and linked my arm with Rory's as I led her towards them. Logan was holding the paintball gun and Finn was standing next to him looking bored.

"All right, I'm bored. I want to be a target." Finn announced as we got closer.

"You're always a target, Finn." I reminded him with a laugh.

"In Omnia Paratus." He replied as he walked off to be a target. Logan was concentrating on shooting but spoke to us anyway.

"You want to interview Finn, Ace, you should do it quick. Pull!" he shouted the last part and fired the paintball gun, hitting the person jumping.

"Not bad." I said as I stepped closer and took the gun off of him. He made a noise of protest but I gave him a look and he relented. "Thank you."

"So is this your big stunt?" Rory asked us as she looked around. I was focusing on aiming so Logan took over the answering for me.

"Big stunt?" Logan repeated after her. He stood watching the game next to Rory, but I could see him looking at her out of the corner of his eye and smiled to myself.

"According to my research, you guys always do one big thing at your gatherings."

"Pull!" I shouted and fired when I saw the target. I cheered a little when I hit it dead on. I gave the gun back to Logan and took his spot next to Rory.

"Is this it?" Rory asked again.

"Does it look like it?" I asked her with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm guessing no."

"You answered your own question. Pull! You'll know it when you see it." Logan assured her with a charming smile.

"Good." She said as two guys walked by carrying Finn on a stretcher. I frowned at the common sight of Finn injured.

"I missed the mat." Finn called out to us in explanation.

"Again?" I exclaimed and laughed at him.

"I'll be fine. Don't worry about me. In Omnia!" he called out before he swooned and fell back onto the stretcher.

"I got $500 that says he doesn't make it to the big event." I betted with Logan and he shook his head at me and shook my offered hand with a laugh.

* * *

"There you are, Teek. I've been looking for you. It's time." Colin told me as he came and grabbed my elbow. I grinned as we made our way over to the scaffold in the middle of the field.

"Yay!" I exclaimed as I took off running towards the scaffold, a laughing Colin following me. I carefully climbed the ladder and grabbed an umbrella. Colin came and stood next to me grabbing the hand that wasn't holding the umbrella. I looked down at the ground and gulped as I realised how far I was from it. I took a step back and closed my eyes to calm myself down. I focused on Colin's hand on mine, drawing little circles on the back of my hand.

"You okay?" he asked me quietly and I sent him a warm reassuring smile.

"It's not my first time doing something stupid. For example, last night I did you." I teased him.

"Mean." He fake-gasped and put his hand over his heart. I turned a little when I heard someone coming up the ladder and frowned when I saw Rory stand up straight. Colin followed my gaze and frowned in confusion as well. Logan came up the ladder behind her and I gave him a questioning look and he just grinning charmingly in response.

"If he gets her hurt, I'm going to kill him." I whispered to Colin menacingly and he smirked at me. Rory looked around nervously and made her way over to me and Colin.

"High. We are very high." She stated as she looked down at the ground and I could see the fear and the adrenaline in her eyes.

"I've been higher." Logan stated with a shrug and Colin and I chuckled at the double meaning behind his words.

"I meant distance from the ground."

"That, too."

"This is totally safe. And it goes with your outfit. Nice." Seth said to Rory as he went over to her and wrapped a band around her waist. She continued to look nervous and Seth came over to me and connected a band to my waist.

"Why do they look so worried?" Rory asked us as she pointed to the crowd at the ground.

"We're low on champagne." Colin told her as Seth connected his band.

"You can back out, you know. No one's forcing you." Logan told Rory, and I looked over at him when I noticed that his voice was void of judgement. Something that was unusual for Logan.

"I know." Rory said confidently after a minute for hesitation. She smiled and grabbed an umbrella. I let go of Colin's hand and gave her a reassuring squeeze as I passed her. Colin followed behind me and gave her a reassuring smile before grabbing my hands and standing next to me. I took a deep breath calm my nerves. The emcees called up something in Latin and crowd the crowded started murmuring below us.

"In Omnia Paratus!" the crowd of LBD members cried loudly, saluting us with their champagne flutes. Colin leaned in to give me a kiss on the cheek before we jumped hand in hand off the scaffold. I screamed as the air rushed passed me on the way down. The crowd cheered as we all landed safely on the field. I was laughing wildly as I panted and the adrenalin flooded my veins. Colin was laughing next to me and I leaned into him when my knees threatened to collapse. Grinning from ear to ear I leaned into Colin and kissed him passionately. He responded immediately and pulled me closer to him so that our bodies were pressed together. We pulled back from each other, panting from both the kiss and the jump. Still smiling, we were pulled away from each other as we were crowed by members of the Life and Death Brigade wanting to congratulations to us.


	8. Chapter 8

**The Party's Over: **

I was running late to drinks and dinner at Emily's and Richard so I was jogging in my heels over to the pool house where mom, Rory and Richard were waiting for me. I smiled in apology as I threw myself down on the seat on the terrace.

"I smell meat, is that meat?" I asked curiously after I greeted everyone.

"Why, yes, miss, it is meat." The valet, Robert answered my question. He was standing over a mini barbeque, wearing an apron.

"Oh, he called me miss. There's meat and a miss, I'm happy." I announced with a dreamy sigh.

"What's the occasion?" Rory asked Richard as she sipped her coke.

"Well, I thought we might like some appetizers with our cocktails tonight." Richard told the three of us.

"Would we ever." Mom said happily.

"The first batch is ready, sir." Robert said as he pulled them of the barbeque.

"Wonderful, on the table please." Richard told the valet.

"Mm, God it smells good." Mom muttered as she grabbed a stick from the tray on the table.

"I love a good steak on a stick." Rory added as she bit into one and I nodded as I also took one.

"Me, too." Richard agreed.

"We should form a club." I said with a gasp.

"Steak-On-A-Stick club." Mom agreed with a nod.

"We could have t-shirts made up." Richard supplied and I grinned from ear to ear at his joking because it was so out of character.

"Ooh! If we're taking orders, I want a size small in pink." I exclaimed happily.

"Grandpa, I've never seen you wear a t-shirt." Rory argued but she was smiling as well.

"Well, I've just never found a proper occasion."

"Hmm. To the proper occasion." Mom toasted and we all held up our glasses.

"I'll drink to that." Richard agreed with a smile. I laughed as I clinked my glass with Richard, mom, Rory's glasses.

"I knew I smelled something, you're barbecuing!" a very angry Emily Gilmore screeched from behind me as she came storming up to the pool house terrace.

"So what?" Richard asked her, unfazed by the interruption. Emily face was thunderous and I leaned away from her and into mom's side.

"So what? The agreement was the girls have drinks with you and dinners with me!"

"We are having drinks. Drinks and appetizers."

"Those are not appetizers! Those are skewers!"

"Little skewers." Mom interrupted their arguing, trying to put an end to it.

"Little tiny skewers." Rory and I agreed in unison.

"This is not tiny!" Emily exclaimed as she ripped the skewer out of my hand as I was about to bite it. I gasped as it was ripped away from me.

"Grandma, that's mine!" I pointed out to her with a pout.

"This is a main course and a cheap way of cheating me out of my dinner." Emily said to Richard, ignoring me. I sighed and sneaked another skewer from the tray on the table. Mom and Rory each took a skewer of meat as well and then we sat back and watched the elder Gilmore's arguing.

"You are the most paranoid woman I've ever met." Richard told her with an amused smirk.

"I highly doubt that."

"You were the one who designated the drinks portion of the evening to me."

"You love drinks."

"Drinks last one hour at most. Then you get the dinner portion, which can last several hours. Especially the way you structure things. You get more time. I should at least be able to serve appetizers with my drinks."

"Fine. I'll leave. Have you drinks and your appetizers." She said, defeated. She pointed at the three of us. "You two better be hungry when you get inside, or else!" she warned us before turning and storming off back to the main house.

"Or else!" mom mimicked in a whisper.

"Sounds serious." I agreed with her.

"So, one more?" Rory asked eagerly and we both nodded in agreement.

"Well, two more at the most." I said as I picked one up.

"Yeah, 'cause she was really mad." Mom added with a smirk and I giggled at her.

Later that night in the main house, we all sat in the dining room in the midst of an awkward silence. I shuffled uncomfortably in my sit as we all just looked at each other.

"Something wrong?" Emily asked all over us.

"No, why, why?" mom asked her with a confused frown and I just shook my head as I ate another mouthful.

"You're not eating."

"No, I am eating."

"You've taken two bites."

"Two really big bites."

"Rory's taken none. The only one eating is Christa!"

"I did, you just missed it." Rory argued with Emily.

"You're full." Emily huffed and threw her napkin down on the table.

"I'm starving." I said as I continued eating and Emily smiled at me gratefully.

"No!" mom argued with her mother.

"He can't stick to a simple agreement! He makes a deal all the time in business, but "drinks there, dinner here", somehow that's too difficult for him to manage." Emily said about Richard.

"He was just –"Rory started to defend him but Emily cut her off.

"He was trying to upstage me. He was trying to make his part of the evening the "fun" part. He's a child. A spoiled four-year-old. I should take his dump truck away and send him to bed without supper. Or, as he calls it, appetizers."

"Mom, seriously, we are starving. Look. Mmm, wow." Mom said as she took a bite. She turned to Rory and motioned for her to eat as well. "Eat some carrots, eat some carrots."

"Carrots. Delicious." Rory said weakly and I laughed at her.

"I'll take your carrots." I said with a shrug as I leaned over and stabbed her carrots with my fork. I grinned as she glared at me and popped a carrot in my mouth.

"Well, if you're both that hungry, you must want more. Olga! Good timing! The girls are famished. Load 'em up." Emily said to the maid with a smirk and I laughed at the situation. Olga served up more food onto Rory and mom's plates and I smiled at her as she put more food on my plate as well. I was about to make a comment when a cell phone rang.

"Lorelai!" Emily scolded her daughter when she assumed it was her cell phone.

"What? It's not me!" Lorelai defended herself and then Emily turned her sharp gaze to me but I just shook my head because I had a mouthful of food.

"It's me, Grandma. I'm sorry." Rory apologized as she checked the caller ID. "I have to take this. Promise I'll be quick." She told us as she got up to leave the room. "Hello? Hi. No, now's fine." I heard her say as she left the room.

"Who's she talking to?" Emily asked curiously as she watched Rory leave.

"Not sure." I answered her with a shrug.

"How should I know?" mom asked her.

"Well, you're the one who taught her to leave her cell phone on at the dinner table." Emily accused her daughter and I smirked and continued eating quietly because I knew that this would be interesting. It was likely that Rory was on the phone with Dean and Emily's line of questioning would eventually lead back to their relationship.

"That's for safety, Mom. In case someone forces her to eat five chickens and she has to call 911."

"She's talking to a boy, isn't she?"

"I don't know."

"She certainly sounds like she's talking to a boy. Does she have a new boyfriend?"

"Mom!"

"Did she finally meet someone at Yale?"

"I don't know."

"Oh, of course you know!"

"Because I'm the one who taught her to leave her cell phone on at the dinner table?" mom asked incredulously and I giggled but then regretted it when Emily turned to look at me.

"Do you know who she's talking to?" she asked me.

"Nope. Sorry." I lied with a smiled just as Rory came back into the room.

"Sorry, Grandma. That won't happen again." Rory apologised as she sat back down at the table.

"That's all right. So, who were you talking to?" Emily asked Rory curiously.

"Dean, you remember Dean?" Rory said truthfully and I held back a groan at her idiocy.

"The boy who made you the car?"

"Yep."

"I didn't know you were still seeing him."

"Umm, well, we got back together recently."

"Really? Well, that's a surprise, isn't it, Lorelai?" Emily said pointedly to mom and I sniggered.

"I know. I'm floored!" mom lied with a mock gasp.

"Christa, aren't you surprised?"

"No." I said truthfully with a shrug. "I knew they were back together."

"He's been working crazy shifts lately and I've had so much schoolwork that we keep missing each other, so I told him to call me tonight." Rory explained to Emily.

"Well thank you for telling me. I'm just glad I got to hear it from you and didn't have to pick it up on the street somewhere." Emily said to her granddaughter and I rolled my eyes at the slight jab at mom. Emily had recently found out that mom was dating Luke through a very unlikely third party and was not happy about the lack of communication.

"'Cause you hang out on the street so often, Mom, you and Melrose Larry Green." Mom joked and then looked down when Emily glared at her. Emily turned her attention back to Rory and folded her hands together on the table.

"So, are you happy with this Dean?"

"Yes, I am." Rory told her and mom and I shared a look.

"Well, good. Now eat up, we have the fish course coming."

"Fish course?" mom asked, horrified.

"Yes, Olga makes a mean pickled herring." Emily told us proudly.

"Oh. Well. What a delightful skill."

"God, I'm starving." I announced to everyone and they all looked at me weirdly. Later that night outside the Gilmore's house after dinner, Rory, mom and I sluggishly made our way down the driveway towards the cars.

"Emily's mean." I announced with a frown.

"If it flew, swam or crawled on this earth we just ate it." Mom added with a frown of her own.

"I can't breathe." Rory said as well. "Ow! What was that for?" Rory exclaimed when mom pinched her side.

"'Cause you told my mother about Dean." Mom told her as if she was an idiot and in my mind she was.

"What do you mean?" she asked as she rubbed her arm where mom had pinched her.

"Well, we were totally covering for you with the phone call, and then you waltz back in and just tell her?"

"My arm is swelling up!"

"You were totally off the hook. We were very skilfully covering for you. Well, not skilfully, but there was a certain aplomb to our evasiveness." I added to the conversation.

"I'm not going to lie to Grandma about Dean. Why should I?"

"Because she's her." Mom said and I nodded along with her in complete agreement.

"Mom, Christa, I am with Dean. She's already met him, Grandpa's already met him, what is the problem besides this permanent welt on my arm?" she asked us and we looked at each other for a second before I shrugged and looked back at my twin sister.

"All right, fine." Mom said with a defeated sigh.

"You know, I'm actually hungry." I said.

"Me too." mom agreed with me. I linked arms with before Rory and mom and we laughed as we walked towards the cars.

* * *

Rory, Paris and I were eating in the Yale cafeteria together. I was eating Froot Loops in giant mouthfuls and listening to Rory prattle on about one of her classes.

"So now I've got three days to do this comparative religion paper, and the teaching fellow that runs our group spends all his time explaining to us how much he disagrees with the professor, and - what are you looking at?" Rory said to Paris, who was looking over Rory's shoulder at someone very intently.

"That guy over there is staring at me." Paris explained to us, frustrated.

"Which guy?" I asked excitedly as I followed her gaze. I frowned as I realised that she was glaring at the professor table.

"The one in the Santa Claus red sweater."

"Professor Prady?" Rory asked incredulously.

"Shh! He'll hear you." Paris hissed at her.

"He's like 60 years old. I'm pretty sure his hearing is gone. And probably his eyesight." I argued with a snort.

"You think Professor Prady is looking at you?" Rory asked again.

"He is more than looking at me. God, this is so annoying. Ever since word leaked out about me and Asher, every faculty member over fifty thinks I'm easy." Paris explained to us.

"Paris, I don't think Prady's hitting on you."

"You are so naive. He's practically licking his lips. You sleep with one old guy, and suddenly you're Catherine Zeta-Jones."

"Hey! Catherine Zeta-Jones is hot. You should be flattered." I told her with a wink. She was about to answer me back, probably with something snarky when Rory's cell phone rang and interrupted her.

"Hello?" Rory said as she answered the phone. "Oh, hey, Grandma. Fine, Grandpa, and you?" Rory asked with a confused frown and I felt my eyes widen. I slipped out of my seat next to Paris and moved over to sit next to Rory. I pressed my ear to the phone as well so that I could hear what was going on. Richard and Emily hadn't really been in the same room since they separated.

"We're wonderful, thank you for asking." Richard said happily.

"Rory, we're sorry to bother you at school, but next Friday your grandfather and I agreed to host a little Yale alumni event at our house." Emily explained the reason behind the phone call.

"It completely slipped our minds the other night."

"So we'll have to cancel our usual Friday night dinner."

"Oh. That's okay." Rory said with a shrug they couldn't see and I silently pumped my fist in the air.

"However, we were wondering if maybe you'd like to come." Emily said to Rory.

"Me?"

"Well, you and Christa. I'm going to call her next." Emily replied and I shook my head subconsciously.

"Oh, um, she's in class right now. I'll tell her about the invite when I see her next." Rory said for me and mouthed a silent 'thank you' to her.

"That would be excellent. Thank you, Rory."

"The alumni always like to meet the next generation of Elis, and plus, we'd love to be able to show you and Christa off to all of our friends, wouldn't we, Emily?" Richard supplied.

"Yes, we would!"

"You might even make a few connections that could come in handy somewhere down the road."

"Please come! We'd hate to miss our weekly Rory fix. And I promise you, there won't be any chicken."

"Or steak on a stick." Richard added and then they both laughed but it sounded forced. I grimaced at their staged banter.

"Do I still get my club T-shirt?" I whispered to Rory and she pushed my head away but she was smiling.

"Well, sure. I'd love to come." Rory said, accepting the invite and I frowned at her in confusion. We normally did everything we could to get out of society parties.

"Wonderful. Your grandmother and I are thrilled." Richard told her.

"Is it fancy? What should I wear?"

"Oh, just pick out a pretty little dress." Emily said.

"And bring that face." Richard added.

"Well, the face comes with the package." Rory joked.

"Oh, and I know you usually come at seven, but could you make it at six instead?" Emily asked.

"Six is fine." Rory assured them.

"Make sure you tell Christa about the party."

"We'll see you Friday." Richard said.

"See you Friday." Rory replied before hanging up the phone and looking at me. I just shrugged at her and went back to my Froot Loops.

"What's going on Friday?" Paris asked us curiously.

"My grandparents are having a party."

"Damn it." Paris swore as she stood up from her seat. "Dean Treadwell just came in. He's been throwing sex daggers out his eyes at me all week." She explained as she picked up her plate and left. I turned around and looked at the feeble looking old man that entered with a cane and burst out laughing at Paris' ridiculousness.

* * *

I was walking over to a vacant table in the courtyard with my coffee in hand, dialling speed dial 2 on my phone. I held the phone up to my ear as I sat down at the table and rested my already half empty coffee cup on the table.

"So, you're off the hook." I said in way of greeting and took a sip of coffee.

"Off the hook, for what?" Mom asked me.

"Friday night. Grandma and Grandpa are having a party for their Yale alumni friends." I explained with a grimace.

"Oh! I know. Rory called me earlier. I'm very excited." She said and I could hear the smile in her voice.

"Yep, you're free as a bird."

"Wow, Friday night without my mother! I don't know if I can deal! You might have to come over and force-feed me pickled herring and tell me what a disappointment I am. Hey, you want to go to the movies?"

"As much fun as that sounds." I said sarcastically. "I'm going to the stupid party."

"What? Huh. Okay. I can get you out of it. Hold on, just a moment. Let me formulate a plan."

"I don't need a plan." I said with a laugh. "I'm only going because Rory's going and it's seems unnecessarily mean to do that to my twin sister."

"You do know that they're manipulating you two, right?"

"Of course I know that." I said with a scoff. "But Rory's all like, 'They called me together. They were on the speakerphone together, which means that they were in the same room, at the same time, together.'" I mimicked what Rory had said earlier.

"So what you're saying is, they were together?"

"That's what I said!"

"Whose antennae are up besides mine?"

"Everyone's in the universe."

"You're a good sister. Well, I'm sorry I'm not going to see you on Friday."

"Well, how about I come by after? I can stay the night and then you can take me shopping on Saturday." I asked hopefully. "Rory can come too."

"Ah, the lucky girl."

"Nightly." I joked with a laugh and mom laughed with me. For whatever reason, my sex life had never really been as big a deal as Rory's. Especially, between me and mom. Sure, she had given me lectures when I was in high school but it was never a big topic that needed to be skirted around. When I had lost virginity in at 16, mom was one of the first people that I told. Of course, I hadn't lost my virginity to a married man and that may have been the problem with Rory and Dean's relationship. "What are you going to do Friday night then?" I asked her curiously.

"Probably having dinner with Luke. Did you know that he can cook?"

"Well, he does own a diner." I stated matter-of-factly.

"No, I don't mean diner food. I mean paella, gumbo, and lasagne. Food food."

"Wow!" I said in appreciation. "That kinda sexy."

"I know right? Speaking of sexy, can I borrow that French maids outfit that you have in your basement apartment for god knows what reason?"

"Costume party." I explained as I sipped the last of my coffee and then frowned in confusion. "Why do you want it? Luke has a fantasy you want to fulfil?" I asked coyly and she laughed.

"No. Nothing like that, I just want to play a little joke."

"It's yours. If you do end up having sex in it, I don't want it back."

"There will be no sex! At least not in the maids outfit." She replied slyly and I laughed. I lifted my coffee cup to take a sip but then frowned when I noticed it was empty. I gasped as a new coffee cup replaced the empty one and I looked up to see my saviour. Colin smiled down at me and I sighed in delight as I sipped my new coffee. Colin pressed a kiss to my cheek as he sat down next to me and kissed him lightly on the lips while listening to my mother yap in my ear. She really could go on and on.

"Hey, mom I got to go but I'll see you Friday night." I said as Colin's lips kissed my collarbone.

"Alright, sweets."

"Okay. Bye." I said as a hung up and phone and turned to smile at Colin. "Hi."

"Hi." He replied as he leaned in and kissed me passionately. Since the Life and Death Brigade camping trip we had been seeing each other casually again. It wasn't that much different to just been friends, with the added benefit of sex and make out sessions. I deepened the kiss and moaned as he pulled away. Pouted at him for stopping the kiss but he just smirked back a held up my coffee, which I gratefully accepted.

"What's happening Friday?" he asked me curiously as he sipped his own coffee.

"My grandparents are having a Yale Alumni party." I explained with a grimace and he laughed at my expression.

"Which grandparents?"

"Emily and Richard."

"I thought you liked them better then Francine and Staub?" he asked in confusion and I shrugged my thin shoulders.

"Richard over Staub but Francine over Emily." I told him and he nodded in understanding. "I'm only going because Rory's going. You know I try to stay away from society parties."

"If you're busy Friday, is there any way I can have you Saturday?" he asked me with a charming smile that I didn't really affect me.

"Saturday during the day or Saturday night? Because I'm going shopping with Lorelai and Rory Saturday during the day."

"Saturday night it is." He agreed and then gave me another deep kiss. His fingers tangled in my hair and I leaned into him.

"You busy right now?" I asked him through panting breathing as he kissed down my neck. He shook his head on my neck and I grinned as he pressed his lips back against mine. I stood up from my seat and started walking away. I looked back at Colin who was still sitting at the table looking confused. I started walking backwards and grinned coyly at him. "Are you coming?"

* * *

Friday night, I was already dressed and ready when I got to Richard and Emily's house. I walked into the house without knocking because it was a party and noticed that not many people were there yet. I spied Richard talking to a man around the same age as him and walked over to them with a society polite smile.

"Grandpa!" I called out in greeting and he and the man he was talking to turned to face me.

"Christa! Lovely to see you." Richard said as he kissed my cheek and hugged me. He turned back to the man he was talking to before I arrived. "Harold, this is one of my granddaughters, Christine but she goes by Christa."

"Pleasure to meet you, Christa." The man said to me and I shook his offered hand.

"Nice to meet you too." I told him with my society smile still in place and then I turned back to Richard. "Is Rory here already?"

"Upstairs in her room. Why don't you go up and join her?" he said and nodded my head and smiled once more at both men before running up the stairs to the room here that Emily had set up for Rory. I also had one but never really used it.

"Ah, I have a wonderful idea! Have you ever worn a tiara?" I heard Emily ask as I neared the open door. I walked to the doorway and leaned against it, looking at Emily and Rory. Emily had a diamond tiara in her hands.

"Well, when I was four..." Rory said hesitantly and Emily smiled and placed the tiara gently on my twins' head, careful not to mess up her hair.

"You look like a princess." I said honestly as I entered the room. I smiled at Emily as she gave me a hug.

"You look lovely." Emily complimented me and I might have blushed a little because I wasn't used to compliments from Emily Gilmore. I smoothed out the skirt of my expensive deep blue one shoulder knee length cocktail dress.

"Grandma, are you sure you want me wearing all this stuff? They must be very expensive, and if something should happen –"Rory started to say but Emily cut her off.

"Nothing's going to happen, and yes. You look exactly the way I want my granddaughter to look to all our guests. Shall we?" she asked both of us and we walked behind her. Rory gave me look that shouted 'help' but all I could do was shrug and give her a compassionate look.

"Okay." We said reluctantly in unison.

"It's going to be a wonderful evening." Emily said gleefully and we started walking down the stairs to the main lounge room.

"Everyone, here's Rory and Christa!" Emily announced loudly and I looked down the last couple of stairs and saw that the party had really gathered a few more people then when I arrived. I plastered another society smile on my lips as everyone oohed and ahhed at our entrance. I glanced at Rory and saw that she was looking distinctly uncomfortable.

"You both look absolutely royal." Richard said as he came over to greet us. He smiled both our cheeks and we smiled at him gratefully.

"Well, it's probably the crown." Rory joked making me giggle. Richard linked an arm through one of each of ours and we walked over to a group of people. I was used to these meet and greets at parties but Rory wasn't and she looked very out of her comfort zone. The group contained an older couple around Richard and Emily's age and a younger guy who looked a little old then me and Rory. "Oh, uh, Rory, Christa, I'd like you to meet Min and Argus Head and their son Andrew. Andrew, this is my granddaughters Rory and Christa."

"Nice to meet you." Andrew said to each of us.

"Nice to meet you too." Rory and I replied in unison and the others chuckled a little at that.

"Andrew will be at Yale Law next semester." Richard boasted as he rested a hand on Andrews shoulder.

"Isn't that wonderful?" Emily added with a coy smile.

"It is, especially if you want to be a lawyer." I agreed with a teasing smile and they all laughed.

"Well, we need to make the rounds. You all can talk more later." Emily said as she grabbed one of my arms and one of Rory's.

"It was nice to meet you." Rory and I said together.

"You too." Andrew said with a smile and a nod. Emily and Richard led us over to another couple and their son.

"Rory, Christa, we'd like you to meet Deanna and Chase Anderson and their son Donnan." Emily introduced us to the new people.

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Donnan said to us with what was meant to be a charming smile but it came off slimier than anything else.

"You too." I said politely as he shook my hand.

"Donnan is going to run his father's shipping business one day." Richard told us.

"Our own Aristotle Onassis with infinitely better table manners." Emily joked and I chuckled at her comment.

"Nothing's written in stone yet. We'll see what kind of pension plan the company has, and then –" Donnan fired back and we all politely laughed.

"Rory's going to be a journalist. Take the world by storm, the two of you should talk later." Emily informed them.

"Definitely."

"Okay, well –"Rory started to say but was cut off by Emily dragging us to a new couple and their son.

"Oh, Rory, Christa, Bunny and Napoleon Barnes and their son Kip." Richard introduced us to the new couple.

"Nice to meet you." Kip said to us and gave me a once over that gave me chills.

"Oh, hi, Kip. It's nice to meet you." Rory said politely, but I could tell that she was uncomfortable.

"Kip is captain of the polo team." Emily informed us and we nodded and smiled politely while I fought the urge to roll my eyes.

"Hell of a player. Give those Windsor boys a run for their money." Richard added proudly.

"William and Harry are good guys. Decent horsemen, terrible bridge players." Kip said with a smug smile.

"Um, Kip, will you excuse us for a second? I need to talk to my grandparents. It was nice to meet you, Mr and Mrs Barnes." Rory said as she grabbed Richards and Emily's arm and led them away. I smiled politely at the Barnes' and walked away as well. I had already worked out what tonight really was. it was an auction. Richard and Emily were trying to find an acceptable potential husband for me and Rory. More Rory than me because she was back with Dean and he was just a bag boy at a grocery store in a small town. Certainly not good enough for their granddaughter. I rolled my eyes at the guys that tried to get my attention as I walked past. I really needed some alcohol so I went to Richard's study to find some. I was sitting in Richard desk chair looking through his drawers. I squealed happily when I found a bottle of scotch in one of the drawers. I undid the top and took a long gulp of the burning liquid. I pulled out my cell phone and hit speed dial two.

"It's a Male Yale party." I said in greeting as mom picked up the phone.

"A male Yale party?" mom asked me in a questioning voice but I can hear the laughter in it.

"It's all guys. It's Yale alumni and their sons." I told her slowly and then burst out laughing. Mom joined in my laughter and it took a few minutes for me to calm down.

"Oh, god. She so shouldn't have told my mother about Dean." Mom sighed into the phone.

"I agree. Stupid twin." I complained to my mother and then sighed.

"Do you have a pencil?" mom asked me randomly and I laughed at her.

"Why?"

"'Cause there are twelve ways out of that house that they don't know about. Write this down. First, the basement. It's a little dusty, but almost fool proof. If you can't get there, grab a screwdriver and jimmy the back of my mother's closet. There's a false back."

"Mom –" I tried to interrupt her in between giggles but kept going over me.

"And if they haven't trimmed the trees yet, the second guest bathroom window opens out onto the massive elm and you can shimmy right down."

"I am not going to shimmy. I don't need to sneak out, it's fine."

"You sure?"

"I can't leave Rory alone."

"Sorry to interrupt your dinner."

"Ah, it's okay. TJ already did that anyway."

"What?" I asked with a confused laugh. My sighed and told me the whole story of her dinner at Luke's apartment. "I should go find Rory. It's kind of mean to leave her to fight off the vultures. She's too innocent and naive to tell them to back the hell off."

"True. I'll let you go and I'll see you later tonight?" she asked to confirm.

"I don't know. I am at an all-male party. I could probably find someone descent enough to go home with."

"Tomorrow morning then?" mom asked with a laugh and I giggled to.

"Bye." I said as I hung up the phone and took another sip of my scotch. I stood up and left the study to find Rory. I wandered out to the patio and found Rory standing by herself. I smiled at her in sympathy as I approached her. I grabbed two flutes of champagne from a passing waiter and offered one to Rory, who took it hesitantly.

"Thanks." She said to me with small smile.

"You shouldn't have told her." I simply said to her as I sipped my drink and she glared at me, making me laugh.

"Christa? Rory?" an unfamiliar guy asked as he approached us.

"Yes." I answered hesitantly because I didn't think I could handle another set up at the moment. The guy that came up to us was cute though so I relaced my society polite smile with a flirty one.

"I'm Jordan. Your grandmother sent me over here. Apparently we're made for each other." He said to both of us with a confused smile and laughed as I shook his hand.

"Oh, gee. Well, how convenient." I teased as flipped my hand over my shoulder.

"There's nothing like having your family play matchmaker. How old are you?" he asked both of us as he looked me over appreciatorily.

"Me? I'm, um, almost twenty." Rory answered for us, stumbling over her words nervously.

"All right, good. Just making sure everything's legal. You need a drink?" he asked.

"No, not a drink." Rory answered and I just nodded me head.

"Why? Get a little crazy when you drink?" he asked flirtatiously.

"Yes. That's it." Rory said flatly, obviously not liking this guy. I had to admit although he was hot, he was kind was slimy and that just wasn't appealing to me or Rory.

"I'd like to see that." He replied with a crooked grin.

"Rory." a familiar voice called out from behind and when I turned I saw Logan and Colin striding over to us. "There you are, I've been looking everywhere for you." Logan said as he came over and put his arm around her shoulder possessively. Colin walked up next to me and kissed my cheek and I grinned at him. "I'm late, I'm sorry, don't be mad. Logan Huntzberger." He said to Jordan as he offered his hand for him to shake.

"Uh, Jordan Chase."

"Good to meet you, thanks for keeping my girl busy. If you hadn't, she would've noticed exactly how late I am and then she might have left and that would have been very, very bad."

"Excuse me, I'm sorry - you're with her?"

"Going on a year and a half." Logan answered as Rory finally got what he was doing and snuggled in closer to him. I smirked at them found that Jordan attention now on me.

"What about you?" he asked me, regarding my relationship status.

"I just don't like you." I replied honestly with a shrug and he walked off muttering to himself. Colin slipped an arm around my waist and squeezed it affectionately. Rory gave sigh of relief as we watched the idiots retreating figure.

"Oh, thank you." Rory said to Logan and Colin as she detangled herself from Logan.

"I'll thank you properly later." I whispered huskily into Colin's ear and I grinned to myself when I felt his body shiver.

"You looked cornered." Logan replied to Rory and she nodded in confirmation.

"I was."

"Well, glad to be of service. Man, I hate these parties."

"Not really my bag either." Rory agreed as she looked around the patio.

"Hey, we met at one of these parties." I stated pointedly.

"That was the only good one I've been too. Ever." My best friend replied and grinned happily at his response. "But at least the bar is stocked, and I must say your grandmother has excellent food."

"Wait, my grandmother?" Rory asked him, dumbfounded and I rolled my eyes. Of course he knows our grandparents. We were at their party. Just then Richard came up behind us and saw Logan and Colin standing with us.

"Logan? Colin? How are you, boys?" the older man asked the younger.

"I'm very well, sir, and yourself?" Colin asked politely, and I couldn't help but notice that he let go of my waist when my grandfather came into view.

"Oh, I'm fit as a fiddle! It's good to see you. Are your parents here?" he asked both of the boys.

"Wandering around here somewhere. Mom is obsessed with Emily's new draperies." Logan replied with an easy smile.

"Ah, yes. Emily has exquisite taste in fabrics. All right, Rory, Christa. Since I see that you are in capable hands I will make another round and end up at the bar."

"It's been good to see you, Richard." Colin said to my grandfather.

"Good to see you, Logan, Colin." He said before walking away, probably towards the bar.

"Shira and Mitchum are here?" I asked in delight. Mitchum and Shira Huntzberger may have been horrible people but they were always lovely to me and entertaining as hell to be around. Logan rolled his eyes at me but smiled anyway.

"Yeah, they're around somewhere. Make sure you say hello, or I'll get an earful." He warned me and chuckled.

"Are Sarah and George here too?" I asked Colin hopefully and he grinned at me and nodded his head.

"I don't know why you like them so much." He asked me dumbfounded. Colin's parents were much like Logan's. They were hardly ever at home and were very into society living.

"They're hilarious." I stated matter-of-factly and he rolled his eyes at me again. Rory was standing there looking at me with an open mouth. "What?" I asked her, confused as to why she was staring at me like that.

"You've met Mitchum Huntzberger?" she asked and I finally understood. Rory wanted to be a journalist and meeting Mitchum would be like meeting a celebrity for her. I nodded my head at her and got back to the matter at hand.

"Okay, so. Lesson One in coping with painfully boring parties, form a sub-party." I told Rory in soft voice so not to be overheard. Colin grabbed my hand and we started walking over to the pool house with Rory and Logan following close behind us.

"Where are you going?" Rory asked us but no one answered her.

"Finn!" Logan called out.

"Finn's here?" Rory asked incredulously.

"Finn!" Colin called out for the Australian and he finally came out onto the patio seemingly from nowhere.

"You rang?" he said in his thick Australian accent.

"Time for a change of venue." I told him simply and he practically lit up in delight.

"Oh, fantastic." He said joyfully before turning to Rory with a frown. "Do I know you?" he asked and the three of us that knew him well just rolled our eyes. I grabbed a bottle of champagne as we ran past on our way to the pool house.

* * *

We were all in the pool house drinking and chatting later that night. Rory was finally relaxing around the boys and I was glad. Rory and Logan were sitting together on the couch and I was sitting cross legged on one of the armchairs. Colin was pouring him and me a drink of scotch over in the kitchen and Finn was talking to some of the other boys around the room.

"Teek, Gilmore, your grandfather has appalling taste in Scotch." Colin declared as he came and stood beside me, handing me my cup.

"I think you should go on inside and tell him!" Rory told him with a smile and I laughed at her dare.

"If he hasn't learned by now I certainly can't teach him."

"Colin, make sure you refill that bottle with something, we don't want Ace over here to get busted." Logan reminded Colin.

"I know. I know." Colin said as he put the bottle down and lift me out of my seat bride style only to sit back down where I was, now with me in his lap. I giggled and kissed Colin as we sat back down.

"Refill?" Logan asked Rory, talking about the champagne that they had been drinking all night.

"Sure, why not?" she replied with a shrug and I mock gasped at her because she wasn't normally one to drink.

"Because drinking is bad. It's very, very bad and we're bad for doing it. Spank me." Finn said as he appeared out of nowhere.

"I think the hangover tomorrow will be punishment enough." I answered for her and sent Finn a warning glare that he probably wouldn't get in his drunk state, or he would ignore in his sober one.

"They haven't had enough to drink, mates." He told Logan and Colin before he left to go and find more booze.

"Hey, listen, I forgot to tell you, I read the article." Logan said to Rory. I knew he was talking about the article she wrote about the Life and Death Brigade, because I was the one who had given him an advanced copy of it.

"You did?" Rory asked him, shocked. I didn't hear any more of their conversation because all I could concentrate on was Colin's lips as they moved against my neck. I lift his lips to meet mine and felt his hand crept up my thigh. I was two seconds from suggesting we leave when I heard Logan say something that draw my attention.

"So, who's it going to be?" Logan asked my sister. Logan was now standing in front of her with his hands in his pockets.

"What?" Rory asked him confused and I frowned in confusion as well.

"Well, this shindig's an obvious meat market, I've got the feeling that your grandparents are expecting you to choose someone tonight, so..." Logan trailed off and I sat up in delight because this so wasn't Rory and I wanted to know how she would react.

"Oh, well..." Rory said shyly.

"Me. Pick me." Finn said first and he got down on one knee in front of her. Colin and I stayed where we were curled up on the seat, giggling at Rory's expense.

"No, pick me!" nearly all the guys in the room cried out.

"But I'm exotic!" Finn argued from the front of the pack.

"So is the Asian Bird flu." I teased him and Colin laughed into my neck while Finn glared at me playfully.

"Wow. A room full of guys and still extremely slim pickings." Logan commented as he looked around the room.

"Well, I don't know. It's a tough choice; maybe I should let my boyfriend help me choose." Rory told the boys and they all looked disappointed as they walked away, dejected. I glanced up at Logan's face and saw disappointment flash over his feature. He glanced over at me and Colin and we both looked up at the roof as if it was the most interesting thing ever. I bit my lip, feeling guilty about not telling Logan about Dean. I knew that Logan liked Rory, then if he didn't admit it to himself and it was wrong not to tell him that she had a boyfriend.

"You have a boyfriend? Do Richard and Emily know about this?" Logan asked her.

"Of course they do." I told him.

"They're just trying to make sure you got a backup?"

"Why not? I have a backup. In fact I have like four back up's." I said to them and they looked at me intrigued.

"Who?" Logan, Colin, Finn and Rory all asked me at the same time.

"Colin, Logan, Finn, Robert, and Harrison." I listed off all the names of the guys willing to marry me.

"That's true." Colin said with a nod a Logan and Finn nodded in agreement which made me grin.

"So, what about you, Ace?" Logan asked Rory again.

"No, they're just - oh no, what time is it?" Rory asked, slightly panicked.

"It's crying time." Finn said in a sad voice.

"Eight forty five." Colin told her after looking at his watch.

"Dean is meeting me at eight-thirty!" she exclaimed as she got up and rushed to get her heels.

"Where?" I asked her with a frown because I didn't know that she had plans with Dean that night.

"Here, out front!"

"Dean, is this the boyfriend?" Logan asked her as he watched her put on her high heels.

"Yes, the boyfriend!"

"Well, we got to see this guy."

"What?"

"See who the man is who's won your heart. Got to make sure he's good enough. Let's go, boys!" Logan announced as he moved towards the door, gesturing for everyone to follow. I hurriedly stood up and stumbled out the door after them, Colin right behind me.

"But - hey!" Rory shouted a protest as we walked past her.

"Coming?" I asked her as I waited for her. We all walked through the backyard so that we didn't past any of the adults and get caught. I was leaned heavily on Colin and giggling uncontrollably by the time we got to the door that led to the driveway. We stumbled out of the house, Rory going first and me, Colin, Logan and Finn right behind her. Dean was waiting, leaning against his truck and he watched as Rory came out of the mansion with me and a random group of guys. I watched as Rory talked to Dean and then I watched in dismay as Dean gets into his truck and driving away. I can see Rory's shoulder heaving as sobs go through her body. I move over to her and pull her against my chest silently and let her cry her eyes out. After a minute, I saw Logan make his way over to us.

"You'll be okay." He said to Rory gently and I looked up at him in confusion. Logan wasn't usually that caring except with me and Honour. I meet his brown eyes and I can see how much he does genuinely care for Rory, so I nod my head in understanding and silent permission.

"No, I won't." Rory denies softly, while shaking her head.

"Okay, that's it. Back to the pool house, men. We have some serious bucking up to do here." Logan called loudly over to the boys that were still standing near the door waiting for us.

"I swiped some Scotch." Colin called out.

"Get Tequila and Vodka." I corrected him in a shout because they were mine and Rory's favourites and he nodded his head at my request.

"I'll re-enact the Passion of the Christ." Finn offered and all the boys cheered and headed make towards the pool house, leaving me, Rory and Logan alone.

"Hey Ace, nothing ever seems quite as bad after Finn's Passion of the Christ." Logan told her as he put a comforting arm around her shoulder.

"Except Finn's Passion of the Christ." I added with a chuckled and we went back into the pool house. Logan's arm was wrapped around Rory's shoulder and I had an arm around her waist and she was leaning on me heavily, like she couldn't stand on her own.


	9. Chapter 9

**Emily Says Hello**:

Rory and I were sitting on the sofa in our dorm common room. I was painting my toenails a pale purple and Rory was reading a newspaper. Paris was nervously pacing the length of the room. Suddenly, Paris stopped pacing and leaned over Rory's shoulder to look at the newspaper.

"Paris, please don't compare our reading speeds again. You're fast, I'm slow. Enjoy your trophy." Rory snapped at the annoying blonde.

"I need the exact time of today's sunset." Paris told her as if it were an everyday occurrence.

"I'm in the middle of an article."

"Well, if you read faster, you wouldn't be." Paris snapped at my twin and Rory finally had enough of her complaining and turned the paper to check.

"Okay, the time of today's sunset is 4:31."

"Okay. Then I just have to keep my mind occupied until 4:31."

"Is that when you can go outside again? You know, so the sunlight doesn't burn you?" I asked her in an innocent voice and she glared at me. I grinned at her as I continued painting my toes.

"Tell me again why you're fasting for Ramadan." Rory asked for an explanation as to why Paris putting herself and us through this. Paris started her pacing again and it was starting to make me dizzy.

"Look, Rory, if you want to crib your articles from the A.P. Wire, that's your business. I, on the other hand, actually give a rat's ass about journalistic integrity. When I write about Ramadan, I experience Ramadan. Are you chewing gum?" she snapped at me and I looked at her weirdly.

"What? Yes. Why?" I asked her as I leaned away from her sharp gaze.

"I'd really prefer it if you didn't chew it at me."

"Paris, did you know that not eating can make people kind of snippy?"

"Ramadan is about a lot more than just not eating. It calls for a total abstinence from food particles passing through the mouth or nose. Your bazooka is passing through my nose." Paris said to me and I was about to reply to her when there was a knock at the door and I just glared at her instead.

"It's unlocked." Rory called from the couch and Marty walked in with a paper sack and I immediately sat up at the prospect of food. "Hey, Marty."

"Is that food?" I asked in way of greeting.

"Yeah. So, I just bartended this crazy brunch with chocolate fountains and floating ice sculptures, and I snagged us all kinds of hors d'oeuvres." He said, indicating the two bags he was carrying.

"Oh, nice going, bucko." Paris said sarcastically. Marty looked at Paris timidly and came to sit next to me on the couch.

"Okay, so, she didn't really mean "nice going," right? 'Cause there's sort of a devil-eye thing going on." He asked me softly and I chuckled at his naivety.

"She's fasting." I explained to him.

"People came to America to escape religious persecution." Paris declared and I rolled my eyes at her. My cell phone rang and I stood to go answer it. I retrieved my phone and went into my room for quiet.

"Hello." I said as I answered the phone. I threw myself down on my bed and got comfortable.

"Hi. Guess where I am?" I heard my Mom say on the other end of the phone.

"Mom." I said with a smile.

"Go on, guess."

"Oh, I don't know, Luke's?"

"But not just at Luke's - on the phone at Luke's, and it's all perfectly legal because I'm on the diner's phone." Mom announced happily and laughed at her enthusiasm.

"A loophole. Nice."

"You got to love a loophole."

"I didn't know you were one for rules, Mom." I said teasingly. "Getting to use Luke's behind-the-counter phone, that's like getting to wear his letterman jacket."

"I know. Maybe now he'll ask me to the sock hop."

"I'm glad you guys are all loopholey and sock-hoppy. It's nice." I told her honestly and I couldn't help the grin the spread across my lips at my mother's happiness.

"Yeah. Well, um, I just called to, you know, uh, brag about my loophole and check on plans for Friday night dinner."

"It's not my week." I bragged to her with a coy smile.

"Right. I forgot about that." She said sadly.

"Hey!" I heard Luke say faintly in the background of Mom's side of the phone call.

"Hon, hold on a sec." Mom said to me before she held the phone away from her mouth but I could still hear them.

"What are you doing back here?" Luke asked his girlfriend.

"You didn't have permission to be behind the counter, did you?" I accused Mom with a laugh.

"You don't need permission if you're the girlfriend." Mom declared, offended that we thought otherwise.

"A sack of potatoes falls on your head, the insurance company doesn't care if you're the girlfriend." Luke lectured Mom in an irritated tone.

"Well, you're storing potatoes in a very weird place if you're worried about them falling on people's heads."

"Go. Go. Get."

"Okay, I'm getting."

"He's kicking you out?" I asked her after a moment.

"No. It's just my boyfriend's so protective of my safety, the thought of food falling on my head makes him crazy." Mom told me and I giggled at her. I heard a knock on my window and turned to see a smirking Colin at my window. I grinned as I opened the window for him to climb in.

"Well, what about soft foods? Apple sauces, oatmeal, toast?" I asked her as I smiled welcomingly at Colin as he lay down next to me on the bed. At my comment he looked at me weirdly.

"Who is that?" he asked me and at the sound of a males voice Mom gasped on the other end of the phone.

"Who is that!?" Mom asked me loudly, teasingly.

"It's Colin." I explained to my mother and then turned to Colin and lightly kissed his lips and explained to him who was on the phone, "It's my mother."

"Oh! Hi, Lorelai!" Colin called out loudly into the call and both Mom and I chuckled at him.

"Hey, Colin!" she replied happily and I relayed her message. "Alright, I'll see you later, babe."

"Bye, Mom." I said as I hung up the phone. "Hi." I said coyly to Colin as I kissed him passionately.

"Hi." He replied as we pulled away from the kiss, both breathing heavily. I laughed as his hand moved further down my body. I turned us over so that I was straddling his hips. His hands found the hem of my shirt and he pulled it over my head expertly. I leaned down to suck on his neck and his hand tangled them into my hair. I pulled his shirt over his head and we went back to kissing. I laughed as he rolled us over and he was on top of me.

* * *

I was walking in the courtyard when my phone rang and I stopped in my tracks and looked at the caller ID.

"Hi, Dad." I said happily as I put the phone to my ear.

"Hey, Christa." He replied just as happily and I couldn't help but smile at the sound of his voice.

"How are you and Gigi?" I asked him, worriedly. Ever since Sherry had left him and Gigi, he had been calling me whenever he needed to vent or he needed a hand with the baby.

"We're both great." He assured me and let out a sigh of relief. Dad wasn't the most competent of parents and I had been worried about how he would handle being a parent again. He had done great with me but it still had its rocky moments.

"So, what's up?"

"I need you to come with me to lunch with your Mom."

"You're having lunch with Mom?" I asked him with a confused frown and then realisation dawned on me and I sighed. "You know she has a boyfriend, right?"

"Yes, I know that." He assured me and I nodded in relief even though he couldn't see me. "I called her a few weeks ago to help me with Gigi."

"Yeah, she mentioned that."

"Well, I haven't called her in a few weeks so she called me to check in and invited me to lunch. Please come. I don't want it to be awkward." He pleaded with me and I could hear the desperation in his voice. I laughed at his desperation.

"Fine. I'll be there."

"Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Lunch is at the Dragonfly Inn on Saturday."

"You're welcome. I'll see you Saturday. I love you, Dad." I said as I hung up and phone and then laughed at the crazy family that I was dealt with. I put my phone back in my pocket and went to meet up with Stephanie so that we could get coffee.

* * *

I walked into the Dragonfly Inn on Saturday for lunch with Mom and Dad. I walked happily into the restaurant in the Inn and found Mom and Dad sitting at one of the tables talking animatedly to each other. I smiled at the sight and made my way over to them.

"Hey, guys." I said as I approached them and they both turned to look at me.

"Hey, sweets." Mom greeted me as she stood up and gave me a hug.

"Hi, babe." Dad greeted me as well and gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek. I sat down at the table next to Dad and they both sat back down next to me.

"So, I'm thinking you should order the steak sandwich and the garlic bread or fried chicken - seriously good fried chicken. Or, yeah, get the pork chops 'cause normally, eating pork chops is very similar to sucking on the pottery barn catalogue, but Sookie does this brining thing in a saltwater bourbon solution. Sounds a little like laundry, but it's actually unbelievably good." Mom babbled as we looked at her, grinning. Mom noticed that Dad was staring at her and grinning widely. "Hmm. What?"

"Nothing. Just - you did it." Dad explained, grinning at her proudly and I grinned at her as well because I knew that he was talking about the inn and I was proud of her to. Mom looked at us confused so Dad waved a hand to indicate the inn that we were sitting in. "You did it." He said again.

"Yeah, I think I did." She agreed with a smile and then leaned forward on the table, becoming serious.

"How sappy is it going to sound if I say that I'm proud of you?" I asked her with a goofy smile on my face.

"Oh, my God. So sappy."

"Yeah, well, I am."

"Me too, Lor. I'm really proud of you." Dad said honestly to Mom.

"Thanks, Chris." Mom said sincerely and I smiled at the civility between the two.

"Yeah. Okay, so, I think you were trying to talk me into the pork chop."

"Yes, I was." Mom agreed with a chuckle and I went back to looking at the menu.

"Mom. Hey, I –" I heard Rory say as she entered the dining room. I looked up and saw her freeze as she sees Dad and Gigi sitting with us. She has a thinly masked expression of disapproval as she looks at him.

"Hey, surprise! Look what Mommy dragged in." Mom said with a laugh as she gave Rory a hug.

"Hey, Rory." Dad said sheepishly.

"Hey, Dad." Rory replied with a hard edge in her voice and I frown at them in confusion.

"You haven't said hi to your sisters yet." Mom said with a chuckle. Rory smiled at me and Gigi and walked around to kiss my cheek in greeting and then kissed Gigi's forehead and my baby sister giggled.

"Hi, Christa. Hey, G.G. Remember me? I'm Rory." she cooed to the baby and I smiled at them.

"I show her your picture all the time." Dad told her with a small smile.

"Great. Thanks." Rory said with mild enthusiasm.

"Your timing's perfect. I'm starved." I said gleefully.

"Have a seat. Isn't this a nice surprise?" Mom asked as Rory at down on a vacant seat, looking uncomfortable. I noticed that she was staring down at her lap and was unwilling to meet our father's eyes.

"Uh, very nice, yes. I like to see G.G." my twin mumbled and I frowned at her in confusion.

"How are you doing there, uh, G.G.? That thumb tasting pretty good there? If you soak it in a saltwater bourbon solution overnight, you'll see a major improvement." Mom joked and Dad and I chuckled but Rory stayed silent. A bellboy came into the dining room and approached Lorelai.

"Uh, Lorelai, excuse me. There's an incident in the front you may want to check in on." The bellboy explained to her apologetically and I looked over the guy appreciatively. He noticed me checking him out an grinned flirtatiously at me and I smiled back and flipped my hair over my shoulder.

"Okay, Rob, thanks. I'll be right back. Don't say anything hilarious while I'm gone." Mom said and then she left with Rob following after her, but not before throwing a wink over his shoulder at me.

"Rory –" Dad started as soon as Mom was out of sight.

"One thing. I've only asked you for one thing ever." Rory interrupted with a hard edge in her voice. I looked at both of them in confusion.

"This wasn't my idea." Dad insisted helplessly.

"Stop."

"Rory, I didn't call. After you asked me not to, I didn't. Your mother called me." Dad told her and Rory scoffed. I looked at Rory in disbelief. I couldn't believe that she asked Dad not to call Mom. "She called me because she hadn't heard from me in a while, and the reason that she hadn't heard from me in a while is because you asked me to stay away, and I did. Please stop shaking your head."

"I don't believe you."

"She called me, Rory. She called me. She asked me to lunch." Dad insisted again and I started shaking my head.

"You told Dad not to call Mom?" I asked Rory accusingly and Dad patted my hand to calm me down.

"Yeah, so?" Rory asked with a shrug and then it was my turn to scoff at her.

"What gives you the right to do that, Rory?" I asked indignantly as I leaned onto the table.

"She has a boyfriend, Christa." Rory said pointedly and I frowned in confusion.

"It's lunch, Rory. Not a freaking marriage proposal." I said to her, my voice matching the hard edge in her voice.

"It's just lunch, Rory. And your mother invited me." Dad agreed with me.

"You didn't have to accept." Rory said to him and I scoffed at her and crossed my arms of my chest in disbelief.

"I had absolutely no good reason to say no. What was I supposed to do, tell her that you didn't want me to see her anymore? I didn't want to rat you out. I'm sorry. Look, I didn't even know you were going to be here. This is as much a surprise to me as it is to you."

"Oh I see. So, you didn't think I was going to be here, so, therefore, it makes it safe to come because maybe I wouldn't find out about it. And what about Christa?"

"No, Rory, no. That is not how it went down and I invited Christa so that it wouldn't be just me and your mother. You know what? I don't have to explain myself to you. I've done absolutely nothing wrong here."

"Fine." Rory said stubbornly and mimicked my movements and crossed her arms over her chest as she leant back on the chair.

"Look, I'm sorry you're upset, but you know what? Your mother and I have had a relationship long before you ever existed. We grew up together, we have children together, and no matter what is going on, that does not change." Dad tried to explain to her, his voice turning defensive.

"Great. You knew her first. So that gives you the right to just waltz in and screw everything up?" Rory asked him in a rude voice and I gave her a heated look.

"I did not waltz in. I did not call her. You cannot make me the bad guy here."

"Hey, if the black hat fits –"

"I'm your father, kid, okay? I think that demands a tiny bit of respect here." Dad said with authority and I looked at him impressed.

"Fine." Rory said stubbornly again. Mom re-entered the dining room then and we all fell silent. I could see mom looking at all of us and I know that she could feel the tension in the air.

"See, this is why I love this job. Michel has been obsessed with these guests who he swears are the notorious Bathrobe Bandits from the Independence Inn - at least the moles match – so apparently, they were checking out, and Michel stopped them and demanded they open their suitcases, and they refused, so he grabs the guy's suitcase and starts tearing through all of his stuff, which, of course, went over really well. And when I got there, the wife was calling the cops, and the husband was chasing Michel around with a golf club. It took a comped bill and two free bathrobes in addition to the ones they had stolen to get them to drop the charges. Plus, Michel ripped his pants, and his underwear is pink and shiny." Mom babbled, trying to break the awkward tension. Dad and I chuckled lightly at her story. Mom chuckled nervously, still feeling the awkwardness. "Did I not hit "pink and shiny" hard enough? Should it have been "his drawers are pink and shiny"? I'm confused 'cause I was going to hit the Orpheum circuit with that material." She asked us all and the three of us all looked at each other nervously. Rory continued to silently look down without speaking and I glared at her accusingly.

"Nope. Uh, nothing. Look, Lor, I should be going." Dad said uncomfortably and I stood up to give Gigi a cuddle before Dad took her away. I snuggled her close to my chest and cooed at her.

"What? No, we didn't get our briny pork chops yet." Mom protested uncertainly.

"I know. I just - I really need to get to my parents' house, and Gigi's going to need her nap soon." Dad insisted as he stood up from his seat at the table.

"She can nap here." Mom told him but Dad continued to gather Gigi's baby bag and I gave my baby sister a kiss on the forehead before I handed her over to Dad. I smiled at him warmly as he took her from me and he gave me a kiss on the cheek.

"Oh, no, it's okay. The place looks great, really, and tells Sookie I said thanks from me, bye Rory."

"Bye." Rory replied weakly.

"Chris." Mom tried to make him stay.

"I'll call you later, Christa." He said to me before leaving with Gigi. Mom and I watched him leaving sadly.

"Okay, start connecting those dots." Mom ordered us as she looked back at us.

"Did you call him and invite him to lunch?" Rory demanded from her and mom looked at her confused.

"What?" mom asked her with a frown.

"Did you call him and invite him to lunch?"

"We already told you, Rory." I insisted.

"Yeah, I did." Mom confirmed, giving me a questioning look but I ignored that and just glared at Rory smugly.

"He didn't call you?" Rory asked, sceptically.

"No." mom told her, still looking confused at the line of questioning.

"He didn't initiate this?"

"No."

"I told you that, Rory!" I snapped at her as I crossed my arms over my chest again.

"Rory, what is going on?" mom asked Rory, but Rory just looked stunned. "Huh? Answer me."

"I went to see Dad." Rory told her and I listened intently because I didn't really know the story.

"When, today?" Mom asked her.

"No, a while ago, right after Sherry left. I told him that I didn't want him to call you anymore."

"Why?"

"Mom... come on."

"No "Mom, come on." Why? Why did you do that?"

"I didn't want him to screw anything up between you and Luke."

"Oh, kid. You are so far off here. That is not going to happen." Mom tried to assured her but Rory didn't look convinced.

"Every time he comes back, he ends up messing up your life." Rory insisted.

"Not true."

"It's completely true. He wants you back, and then he disappears or Sherry gets pregnant or he loses his job or he just takes off - whatever. No good reason necessary. And it's been like this forever, and you just let him do it. You can't help it."

"Rory, come on." I said to her, kind of understanding where she's coming from.

"You can't just break free of him." Rory said to Mom, ignoring me.

"What are you talking about?" Mom asked, dumbfounded.

"You're engaged to Max, and then suddenly, you're not."

"Christopher had nothing to do with Max."

"Who was the person you were calling from your bachelorette party?"

"She was drunk. She tried to call Abe Vigoda, too, if you remember." I reminded them both.

"You're just always waiting for him to get himself together." Rory told Mom and I pursed my lips together to keep from yelling at Rory.

"No, no, hon. I'm not always waiting for him. There have been times when, yes, it would have been nice to actually be with the father of my kids, but... not now. I'm with Luke completely." Mom tried again to assured Rory.

"What did he say when you told him?" I asked her, curiously.

"Told who what?" Mom asked me with a frown.

"Luke. What did he say when you told him you were having lunch with Dad?" I clarified for her with a smile. Mom looked stunned for a minute but then quickly recovered before Rory noticed.

"Nothing." Mom told us with a fake smile. I cocked an eyebrow at her but I didn't press the issue because it wasn't any of my business.

"He didn't care?" Rory asked our mother sceptically.

"No, he didn't care. He didn't have to care 'cause there's nothing to care about."

"If you say so." Rory said unconvincedly.

"I appreciate you being concerned for me, but don't be. I'm good." Mom said to Rory with a smile as she patted her hand comfortably.

"Okay."

"Let's order, shall we?" Mom said and she and I both turned to the menu happily.

* * *

I was still upset with Rory when I got back to Yale later that night so I wanted to avoid our dorm room for as long as I could. I was in desperate need of a drink so I changed my direction and headed to the pub near campus. I could hear the loud music as I neared the door and smiled to myself. The music got louder as I entered the building and headed to the bar. I signalled to one of the regular bartenders Matt with a flirty smile and he bought over a shot of tequila and a beer chaser. I smiled my thanks and took my drinks over to an empty table. I shot back the shot of tequila and relished the burning sensation as it rushed down my throat. I felt my jeans pocket buzzer and I pulled out my phone to check my new message.

Steph: where r u?

Christa: pub. Needed tequila.

Steph: on my way.

Five minutes later, Stephanie sauntered into the pub and threw herself down on the seat next to me. I raised an eyebrow at her defeated expression and silently passed her one of the tequila shots in front of me. She took it out of my hand and shot it back quickly.

"Ah!" she gasped as it burned her throat and I chuckled at her. She sipped my beer and I raised a hand to signalled Matt to bring another one and he nodded back.

"What's up with you, sweetie?" I asked my blonde best friend.

"Finn." She told me softly and I smiled at her in compassion. I was the only one that knew that Stephanie had feeling for our Australian friend.

"What did he do this time?" I asked her, tilting my head to the side curiously.

"What he did was a slut." She said pointedly and I giggled at her. I nodded in understanding because I sometimes got the same way about Colin. Matt bought over two more beers and two more shots. I looked up in surprise because I had only order the beer this time.

"These are from the two guys at the bar." Matt explained as he pointed over at two hot guys that sat at the bar. Steph and I looked them over and held up our drinks in salute. The two guys smiled back flirtatiously and saluted us back.

"Hot." I exclaimed to Steph with a smile and she grinned back as she checked out the guys at the bar.

"Very." She agreed coyly and I laughed out loud. I followed her gaze to the guys and I stood up and grabbed my beer. Steph looked up at me with a confused smile and I grinned back at her slyly.

"I don't feel like going back to my room." I said cheekily and then grabbed her hand and pulled her up with me. "And you need to forget a certain Australian alcoholic."

"That's true." She agreed with a laugh and she followed me over to the guys at the bar.


	10. Chapter 10

**But Not as Cute as Pushkin:**

Rory, Mom and I were sitting on the couch in the pool house on Friday night having drinks with Richard.

"Well this is a very big honour, you know." Richard reminded Rory with a proud smile from his seat on an armchair across from us.

"Oh, I know." Rory said, still not really believing that she had to do.

"Of all the Chilton alumni at Yale they're asking you?" Richard asked her.

"I know, I know."

"Well, have you thought about what kind of things you'd like to show her?

"Well, she'll go to all of my classes with me, of course. And I thought maybe she'd go to the paper with me and then I thought maybe a trip to the Breakneck Rare Book and Manuscript Library." Rory said excitedly and I rolled my eyes at her. We had finally made up after a week of not talking to each after Rory had gone behind mine and Mom's back and told our Dad not to call Lorelai anymore. I was pissed that she had stuck her nose into something that wasn't her business but I could kind of understand why she had done it so I had finally forgiven her.

"Oh, you're going to show her the Gutenberg." Our grandfather insisted enthusiastically.

"Steve?" Mom joked and I giggled at her.

"Bible." Richard corrected her with an amused smile in her direction.

"Then I was torn between taking her to the Hewitt Memorial Quadrangle or the Science Centre and Gymnasium." Rory added to her pervious conversation with Richard.

"Huh, that is a conundrum." Richard said with a frown.

"Yeah, especially since she'll be snoring by then. You'll just be dragging her dead body weight around the campus." Mom teased them both.

"Lorelai, these things are of great interest to any young person considering attending Yale." Richard informed her and I frowned at that.

"No, they're really not." I corrected Richard and Rory but they ignored me, while Mom laughed at my comment.

"I, personally, would enjoy every single thing on my list." Rory told us and I rolled my eyes playfully.

"Yes, I know, but it wouldn't hurt to maybe throw a little something fun in. I'm not talking a kegger, but just walk her by the crazy drama students yelling "Give me a location," or something like that." Mom suggested and I nodded in agreement.

"You know, your mother may be right." Richard told Rory and Mom and I shared a surprised look.

"Who heard that?" Mom asked and I raised my hand.

"Well, a good college experience is a well-rounded college experience. It's important for you to show her that Yale students have fun too. Oh! Have her touch the toe!" Richard said excitedly and leaned forward in his seat.

"Yeah!" Rory agreed equally as excited as our grandpa.

"Touch the toe?" Mom asked and I shook my head trying to subtly tell her not to ask.

"The toe! The statue of Theodore Woolsey. It brings good luck to everyone who touches his feet and for that reason he has one left toe that's been rubbed completely shiny." Rory explained to her.

"Wow! That is fun. Make sure you get a parent consent form for that one." Mom said sarcastically and I snorted in amusement.

"Oh, it's so exciting watching you girls at Yale. It was such a wonderful time for me. The people that you meet there will stay with you for the rest of your life, mark my words. Tell me are you making good friends?" he asked us.

"Yeah, I have some good friends." I said to him with a smile.

"I've met some good people." Rory agreed with a nod.

"What about you and Mr McCrae?" Richard asked me with a cheeky grin and nearly choked on the drink I was sipping. Mom patted my back as I coughed and spluttered.

"Colin and I are just friends." I lied through my teeth and ignored the glance that Mom and Rory shared. Richard looked at me septically but let it go when I pressed my lips together in a thin line.

"And what about Mr Huntzberger?" Richard asked Rory with a same smile he gave me.

"Who is Mr Huntzberger? Mom asked her questioningly.

"Um, Logan Huntzberger is a boy I go to school with." Rory explained and I smiled coyly when I saw a blush spread across her cheeks.

"A fine boy from a fine family." Richard added with an approving smile.

"You know him?" Mom asked her father incredulously.

"His parents are very good friends of ours. Oh, you know Mitchum Huntzberger, Lorelai."

"No."

"He's been coming to our Christmas parties for years."

"No."

"His mother's on the paediatric hospital committee with your mother."

"Oh! No."

"Well, Logan is their son and I noticed that you two seemed to be hitting it off the other night."

"The other night?" Mom asked all of us.

"He's very nice, Grandpa." Rory said softly.

"Now I don't want to be too forward, but you made a handsome couple." Richard said and I smirked at her.

"Uh, was Logan at the male-Yale party that you guys threw?" Mom asked her father with a frown.

"He was the one that gave me a ride home, Mom." Rory explained and I smiled at the memory.

"That was a fun ride." I said with a happy sigh.

"Oh! Limo boy. Swell." Mom said sarcastically and I frowned at her.

"He's also on the paper with me and Christa." Rory explained to our mother.

"You know, his father owns some of the finest newspapers in the country." Richard boasted with a proud smile.

"I know." Rory and I said in unison.

"Not a bad connection, huh? Nope, not a bad connection at all." Richard said slyly and I smiled at that.

"Yeah, I love Mitchum." I agreed with him and Mom turned her gaze onto me.

"You know them too?" she asked me, confused. I turned my attention to her and I smiled brightly.

"Yeah, of course. You know my friend Logan? The one I tell you about?" I asked her and she nodded at me as understanding shined in her eyes.

"The one I've heard of about but never meet him." she acknowledged with a slight smirk, remembering the stories that I had told her about me, Logan and Colin.

"That's Logan Huntzberger." I told her with a smirk of my own.

"Oh." Was all she said in reply. Later that night, we were walking in the cold towards the main house for dinner with Emily when Mom pulled Rory and me to a stop just outside the door.

"Hey. So tell me about this Logan." Mom ordered Rory and my twin just stared at her uncomprehending what she was saying.

"Its three degrees out here!" I complained as I hugged my jacket tighter.

"Uh, as of tonight, my father knows way more personal dish about you than I do. That's not right or fair. He doesn't get as much enjoyment out of the dish as I do. With him the dish is always half empty. Christa tells me all about her numerous conquests, and in detail. So the less you can do is telling me about this Logan character from your point of view. Especially, since all I have to go off is Christa's stories and they don't paint him in a very good light. But then again they don't paint her or Colin in a very good light either and I like both of them." Mom babbled at an amazing speed and I frowned at that last comment.

"You like me?" I asked in fake outrage.

"I love you, darling." Mom assured me with a smile and I smiled back at her through chattering teeth.

"You're just talking to keep yourself warm, aren't you?" Rory asked her with a frown, trying to dodge the questions about Logan.

"What is the deal with this guy? Are you dating?" Mom asked and I snorted at that because I would definitely know if they were dating.

"No, we're not dating. He's just a friend."

"How close? For example, if you freeze to death will he come to the funeral or just send a nice fruit basket?"

"I'm sure that he would come to be there for Christa. They are best friends." Rory said pointedly and I grinned at her. "I know him from school. He's just a casual friend. That's it."

"Do you think he's cute?" Mom pressed shamelessly and I laughed at the question because Logan was drop dead gorgeous.

"It doesn't matter if I think he's cute." Rory said looking down and blushing.

"Uh, it matters to me. I don't want ugly grandchildren."

"Don't worry, Mom. Logan is extremely hot." I assured her and gave her a thumbs up.

"Mom, I'm not dating Logan or anyone. I'm taking a boy break. Okay? I'm just concentrating on school. That's it." Rory insisted and I rolled my eyes at her.

"Fine, but if that changes?" Mom asked her with a pout.

"You'll be the first to know. Maybe the second since I live with Christa." Rory told her.

"Okay, thank you. Cause there are not many ways I can outdo my father. Info on you two and looking better in chiffon, that's about it. Oh and my pole dance is way hotter." Mom joked and I giggled.

"Thanks for the mental image, Mom." I said with a grimace.

"I'm frozen now." Rory told us and we started walking towards the house for dinner.

* * *

Rory entered our dorm room carrying an armful of bags from the university store. I was sitting on the couch typing an essay for one of my classes and Paris was sitting at her crafts table in the corner of the room.

"Wait 'til you see all the stuff I got for Anna. Yale t-shirt, bulldog sweatshirt, Yale baseball cap, visor, coffee mug. I told you to open a window when your hot-gluing in here." Rory asked Paris as she put the bags down on the couch.

"It's freezing outside." Paris said with a frown, concentrating on her craft. I looked at Rory who was pulling out her gifts for the visiting girl.

"Oh wait. This is new. They just came out with these. The Yale soda-cosy. How cute is that?" Rory exclaimed and I frowned at her.

"I can't believe you. You don't even have your loser card-swiping job anymore and you're buying all this crap for some kid you don't even know." I said to her as I saved my document and came over to her.

"I'm trying to make her feel welcome." Rory explained to me I smiled at her friendly nature.

"Oh she'll feel welcome. They all feel welcome." Paris muttered from her table and I turned to look at her in confusion.

"Whose they?" I asked her, already knowing that I was going to regret asking it.

"The enemy." She answered matter-of-factly.

"What enemy?" Rory asked Paris, just as confused as I was.

"Any girl under the age of 17 is the enemy." The blonde informed us and I raised an eyebrow at her.

"Ok, I'm opening a window now." Rory stated as she walked over and opened up the window, probably thinking that the fumes from the glue gun were messing up Paris mind more than what it already was.

"They're coming for everything. They're going to take our jobs, our thunder, our starter husbands." Paris continued to rant.

"Don't you have a class to get to?" Rory asked her, hoping to get her out of the dorm room.

"They're coming, Rory. They're coming and they're going to keep on coming like the locusts descending on Mankato. We'll be beating them off for the rest of our lives. Christa will be fine. She's basically a freaking siren. What about the rest of us."

"Hey!" I cried indignantly. "I'm not sure if that was a compliment or not."

"Please don't be here when she arrives. I don't want you to scare her off." Rory said to Paris and I silently agreed.

"Me scare her off? Please, she's the one with the alabaster skin and perky breasts." Paris scoffed.

"No, darling, that's me." I joked with a grin but Paris just glared at me. There was a knock on the dorm door and Rory made her way over to answer it.

"Do not say perky breasts to her. Do you understand me? That goes for both of you." Rory warned us and I held up my hands in surrender.

"Eve Harrington has arrived." Paris quipped from behind me and I giggled at her comment. Rory opened the door to reveal a brunette head seventeen year old.

"Hi. I'm looking for Rory Gilmore." The young brunette said politely.

"I'm Rory. You must be Anna." Rory replied equally as polite.

"Yes." Anna confirmed with an easy going smile.

"Great, come in. Did you find it okay?" Rory asked her as Anna came inside the dorm common room.

"I got lost a couple of times, but people were really nice and got me here."

"Yeah, it's a friendly world out there. Isn't it?" Paris said drily and I chuckled lightly.

"Anna, this is my roommate, Paris, and I'm sorry." Rory introduced them and I watched as Paris just glared at the younger girl. I stood up from my seat on the couch and walked over to stand next to Rory.

"For what?" Anna asked with a confused frown.

"Trust me."

"Ok."

"Anna, this is my twin sister and our other roommate, Christa." Rory introduced me and I smiled brightly at the younger girl.

"Hi, Anna. It's nice to meet you. Once Rory done giving you the boring college tour, coming find me and I'll show what college is really like." I offered with a devilish smile and stepped out of Rory's reach when she tried to slap my arm. Anna giggled at my remark and I decided that I liked the girl. She may have been a bit naïve and innocent but she also looked like she just wanted to cut loose and I understood that.

"Ok, let me show you around the place. That is Paris' room." Rory said and pointed at the room from where she stood.

"Don't go in." Paris warned her threatening.

"That is my room," Rory said pointing at her closed door, "That is Christa's room," she said with a point towards my door, "and this is the common room, which is also your bedroom. Bathroom is literally outside the door and there's a fridge with water or soda or whatever you want." Rory said indicating the room we were in.

"She doesn't have to sleep in the common room." I said with a frown. I didn't know that Rory had planned to put Anna in the common room.

"Where's she going to sleep then, Christa?" Rory asked me with a confused frown, her eyebrows drawn together.

"I have a queen sized bed. She can sleep with me. If it can fit Colin, it can fit little bitty Anna." I informed them and I noticed Anna eyes go wide when I mentioned having a boy in my bed.

"I thought you didn't have boys over here." Paris said to me, looking up from her craft table.

"I don't have one night stands here. Colin isn't a one night stand." I explained with a shrug of my thin shoulders.

"Really!?" Anna asked me excitedly and I nodded me head in confirmation. "Thank you so much."

"No problem, Anna." I said simply.

"Oh and I got you some 'Welcome to Yale' gifts." Rory said suddenly.

"Oh, really? Thank you." Anna said to her with a smile.

"I'm really glad you're here. You are going to love Yale. It's an amazing place. I mean I was excited when I first started here, but every day is different and better. You have no idea how much there is to learn. It's - Well you'll see." Rory said rapidly. There was a knock at the door and turned to see Marty walk in without waiting for one of us to answer. I was about to scold him when I noticed a bag of food in his hand so I let it go.

"Okay, I actually snagged us some caviar. They were all out of toast points, but I think we can use Doritos and achieve a very similar result." He said without looking up but when he did he saw Anna standing there, looking at him with wide eyes. "Hey."

"This is Anna." Rory introduced her.

"Did Paris move?" Marty gasped excitedly and I giggled.

"I'm right here, Marty." Paris said irritably from the craft area.

"I know, Paris." He stated with a roll of his eyes.

"Anna, is from Chilton, my alma mater and I'm showing her around Yale for a couple of days." Rory explained to him.

"Oh, cool. I'll put this in the fridge...in my room." He finished lamely because Paris coughed loudly to veto the idea.

"Thanks. Ok, you ready?" Rory asked Anna with a smile.

"I'm ready. You have boys bringing you food!" the younger girl exclaimed excitedly and I couldn't but not laughed at her enthusiasm.

"Yale is a magical place, Anna. A magical, magical place." I told her with a coy smile and then I followed Rory and Anna out the door of the dorm.

* * *

I had started off walking around Yale with Rory and Anna but I quickly got extremely bored of Rory's version of a tour so I lied and told them I had a class earlier than I has to. I made my way to the nearest coffee cart in desperate need of caffeine. Two hours had passed and I was feeling a little guilty about leaving Rory alone with Anna. Or was it guilty that I left Anna alone with Rory. I decided to make my way to Sterling Memorial Library where Rory was sure to be with Anna. It was quite easy to find them once I got there.

"Now, outside, we just passed the women's table which was designed by Maya Lin. She's also the one who designed the Vietnam War Memorial which, by the way, originally was a class project for which she received a B. The teacher who gave her the B also submitted a design for the war memorial, but hers was chosen. His was not. That's a life lesson to remember. This is Sterling Memorial Library, one of my favourite places on campus. It was built in 1930 and it houses over one third of the university's ten million volumes. I love libraries. I spend I can't tell you how many hours just - You're not writing." I heard Rory lecturing as I got closer to them and rolled my eyes at her.

"Oh, sorry." Anna apologised sheepishly.

"So, I come her sometimes late at night –" Rory started to say but Anna interrupted her.

"I just love how everybody's dressed."

"What?"

"No uniforms. I love that there's no uniforms. College to me means no more uniforms."

"Oh, right. However, wait 'til you're late to class and it takes you 20 minutes to put together an outfit. Suddenly you'll miss those uniforms."

"Nah, stick with me, kid, and you'll be fine. My closet is like a retail outlet." I said as I walked the rest of the way up them with a grin on my lips. Anna turned to me with a happy expression and linked my arm with hers as I stood next to her. I just couldn't help liking the younger girl. She was so energetic and eager.

"Christa! How was your class?" Anna asked me and I just shrugged my shoulders.

"It was okay. But I did get the phone number of the cute guy that sits in front of me." I bragged to her with a coy smile and she giggled at me while Rory glared at us.

"How many guys have you dated since you've been here?" Anna asked both of us with wide eyes. I closed my eyes as I did the maths.

"Um, maybe eight, I've dated. But I've slept with way more." I told her honestly and she just looked at me with adoration. I couldn't help but like that she looked up to me.

"And you, Rory?" she asked my twin and I smirked at her playfully.

"Oh. Well, none from Yale. Anyhow, the books. Are you seeing the books? Everything you'd want to read is right here?" Rory asked as she picked up and book from the stack. "Feel it. Feels good, right? Now smell it." She said before actually sniffing the book and Anna and I just looked at her like she was crazy. I heard someone coming over to us and looked up to see Logan striding over to where we were.

"I'm sorry, excuse me, did I just see you smell that book?" he asked Rory as he approached us and Anna and I giggled in delight.

"Hey, Logan." Rory said, embarrassed.

"Hey, Ace. Hey, Teek." He greeted us and gave me kiss on the cheek. "Who's your friend?"

"Oh, um, Anna, this is Logan. Logan, this is Anna. She's from my high school. I'm showing her around campus." Rory explained to him.

"Hi." Anna said shyly and I nudged her playfully.

"High school? No, I would've sworn you were a college girl." Logan said and Anna giggled a little and blushed. "So are they showing you a good time?"

"I'm showing her everything important." Rory replied sharply and I supressed another giggle.

"Hmm, good. Make sure they take you by the pub. Local place, everyone goes there." Logan said to Anna and she lit up at the mention of it so I made a mental note to take her.

"I'm not taking her to the pub." Rory said pointedly and Anna and I both frowned at her.

"Oh, please? The pub sounds fun." Anna said hopefully with a giggle at the end as she glanced at Logan from the corner of her eye. I couldn't help but be a little proud of the younger girls taste in guys.

"You don't have to drink. They do have coffee. It's a cool scene. Make her take you. Bring a book to sniff." Logan teased Rory with a charming grin. "I'm sure Christa here will take you."

"Of course. It's where everyone in college hangs out." I agreed and smiled down at Anna, who looked delighted.

"What are you doing in the library anyhow?" Rory asked Logan snappishly.

"I got lost. Don't tell anyone I was here. It'll ruin my rep. Anna, it's been a pleasure. See you, Ace, Teek." He said as he gave me another kiss on the cheek before walking away.

"He's cute." Anna said with a sigh.

"Yes, he is. But not as cute as Pushkin. Right this way, missy." Rory agreed and I stood there stunned because that was the first time that Rory had acknowledged her attraction to him.

* * *

"I have an idea!" Logan announced later that night as he, Colin, Finn, Steph and I all sat around Colin and Finn's dorm room drinking. I sat on the floor next to Steph, leaning against Colin's knees as he played with my hair. Finn was lounging on the couch next to Colin and Logan was seated on one of the armchairs.

"And what is your idea, Oh Great One?" I asked him sarcastically before taking another swig of my vodka bottle. Logan leaned forward in his seat and rubbed his hands together.

"It involves you," he said, pointing at me and I put my hand to my chest in question, "Yes, you, Colin, Finn and myself."

"So, what is the idea?" Colin asked with a raised eyebrow and I watched as Logan stood up and started pacing. I had to admit I was intrigued to know what Logan was thinking of. Logan was a master at coming up with pranks and silly little adventures. Most of which ended with us in trouble or drunk or laughing our asses off or any combination of the three. We all listened intently as Logan told us his idea and by the end of it we were all giggling. I jumped up and wrapped my arms around his neck to hug him in excitement.

"You were right! It is an excellent idea!" I declared and the others all cheered.

* * *

Logan, Colin, Finn and I were all standing outside Professor Bell's classroom the next morning. We were listening in to the lecture waiting for the right moment.

" . . . All right. Let's call that close enough. But, now, Campbell can point to the repetition of the hero myth in culture after culture and say "Hey, Sigmund, like it or not here are the same basic characters over and over -" we heard Professor Bell say and I had finally had enough waiting so I gave Colin a push towards the door. He got the idea and with one last grin at the rest of us he ran into the class room.

"Excuse me, I'm sorry. I'm sorry." He fake apologised to the professor and I had to smother my giggle.

"I'm right in the middle of a class, young man." Professor Bell said loudly.

"I know, I'm sorry, I just – " Colin said from inside the room. "Rory, you can't just walk out like that. Not after everything we've been through. You just left. I was still in bed. I mean what is that all about?" he questioned her loudly and I could only imagine her face.

"Ok, you need to do this later." The professor said to them.

"I can't do this later. Rory I love you. I love you, dammit! How many times to I have to tell you? God! Just talk to me." he continued to plead with her and I was holding my stomach in silent laughter. I looked up at Logan and Finn and saw that they were chuckling softly as well.

"Ok, out right now! Out! Just get –" Professor Bell started to say and I pushed Logan into the room as like I had done Colin.

"Colin! What are you doing, man?" Logan shouted as he entered the room.

"Get the hell out of here!" Colin shouted back to him from further away. I took a deep breath and tried to calm down my giggling because my part was coming up.

"She's with me now. I told you that. Let it go."

"I will not let it go!"

"She doesn't love you. Rory, tell him you don't love him!"

"Everything was fine until you came along!"

"Oh, don't blame me because you couldn't keep her." Logan shouted at Colin and that was my cue to enter. I took another deep breath and grinned cheekily at Finn before running into the room and pretending to look hurt.

"What the hell is this?!" I shouted at the two guys and Rory. I turned to look at Rory and saw that her face a picture of shock and embarrassment. "Rory, you're meant to be my sister! My twin! And the whole time I was with Colin, you were sleeping with him!?" I fake accused her.

"I swear to god, I'm gonna kill you!" Colin spat at Logan.

"Oh, I'd love to see you try." Logan dared him and then Colin lunged at Logan and the boys started fake fighting.

"Stop it! Stop it, right now! Anthony, get security! Break it up! What are you - Gentlemen, you are losing control!" Professor Bell shouted at the boys but they continued to fight. Logan threw Colin over the desk and jumped over it and onto Colin. "You are in a classroom!" the professor shouted as Finn entered the room wearing an old-time police uniform. He blew the whistle and I couldn't help but giggle.

"All right, that's enough! Break it up, you two!" Finn said as he grabbed Logan and Colin by their arms and drags them to the middle over the room. I looked over at Professor Bell and I can see that he just realised it was a joke. "Rory Gilmore, you should be ashamed of yourself, toying with these boys like this! They used to have pride! They used to have dignity! They used to have balls!" he shouted before walking half way out of the room and then stopping to look back at my embarrassed twin sister. "Dammit Gilmore, give them back their balls." He finished and dragged the boys out of the room. They came rushing back in to the room and grabbed my arm as they walked passed me. We went into the middle of the room and bowed and laughed as the class erupted into cheers and applauds.

* * *

Later that night Colin, Logan and I went to the cafeteria because I wanted chocolate and I saw Rory and Anna eating. I sighed and pointed them out to Logan and Colin and they nodded in understanding and we walked over to the table they were sitting at.

"Ladies." Logan said in greeting and I smiled at Anna as I sat down to her and Colin sat on my other side.

"Hi, Logan. Hey, Christa." Anna greeted us brightly as I took a spoonful of Anna ice-cream.

"How are we doing this fine evening?" Colin asked both of them with half smile.

"Oh, we're doing great. Do you want to join us?" Anna answered.

"Sure." Logan said as he sat down next to Rory, who was being suspiciously quiet. "So, dull day, huh?"

"Not for me." Anna replied happily as she dug into her ice-cream.

"Someone's quiet." Logan observed as he looked to Rory.

"Got nothing to say." Rory said shortly and I cringed. I had been on the receiving end of Rory's cold shoulder and it was not a place I wanted to be. I probably already was after my involvement in the prank earlier that day.

"Do you get the sense that she's mad at me?" he asked Anna, who nodded her head.

"Yes." The younger girl replied.

"Hey, Anna, why don't you head on over to the fro-yo social. You remember where it is right?" Rory asked her.

"Yeah, but I just had three scoops of ice cream."

"Kid, you're in college now, ok? Now go get yourself some yogurt."

"Are you going to come Logan?"

"Uh, I'm not sure how well I'll be walking here in a minute, Anna." Logan told her, not taking his eyes off of Rory. I looked at the tension between them and made a quick decision. I pulled Colin up with me as I stood up.

"We'll come with you, Anna." I said quickly and then pulled Anna and Colin out of the cafeteria before Rory could explode.

* * *

"Hello?" I said as I answered the phone. Colin and I were lying on his bed in an after sex haze and I held my cell phone up to my ear while Colin played with my fingers on the hand that wasn't holding the phone.

"Christa!?" Rory's voice came through the phone and I sat up when I heard the panic and desperation in her voice. I had thought that Rory would be pissed at me about my part in the prank earlier today. Colin sat up next to me with concern and worry etched on his face.

"Rory? What's wrong?" I asked, getting myself in a panic just by the panic in my twins.

"I can't find her! She was at the fro-yo social with me and then she was just gone. I looked everywhere for her! I can't believe that I lost her. Where would a 16 year-old girl go for a good time?" she asked me in a hurry and I frowned in confusion and then realisation dawned on me and I realised that she meant Anna. Anna had gone missing.

"Okay, Rory, take a deep breath, okay. We're going to find her. Where are you right now?" I asked her in a calm voice. I had practice talking people out of panicked states. Sometimes when Logan, Colin, Finn or Steph were drunk they got themselves into states of panic that had them screaming and crying. It would have been ridiculously funny if I wasn't the one taking care of them.

"I'm with Mary near the pub." Rory said in a calmer voice and I smiled a little as I stood up off the bed and started looking for my clothing.

"Okay, sweetie, I'm on my way and I'll help you find her. I have her cell number and I'll try calling her, okay?" I told her as I found my underwear and slid them on, balancing my phone between my shoulder and my cheek. Colin got out of the bed and helped me look for my clothing. He found my shirt and walked over to me. He gestured for me to put my hands up and I did, so that he could slip it on over my head for me. I smiled at him gratefully as I stepped in my skirt.

"Thank you, Christa." Rory said softly in relief. I hung up my phone and quickly found Anna's name in my contacts and pressed call. I gave Colin a quick peak on the lips as I headed out the door. I frowned as the line went through to voicemail. Colin mimed that I should call him later and I nodded as I headed for the door. I kept redialling Anna's number as I ran over to the pub to meet Rory and Marty.

"Damn it!" I swore as it went to voicemail once again. My phone rang and I jumped in surprise. I quickly pressed to accept the call without checking the caller ID. "Anna?"

"No, it's Rory." my twin corrected. "Anna's safe."

"Oh, thank God." I said with a sigh of relief. I stopped running and sat on the nearest bench since my legs were tired from running.

"Yale campus police found her when they broke up a raucous frat house party. She's safe at home with her parents. Headmaster Charleston called to tell me. Oh, God, I feel terrible. I can't believe I lost her."

"Rory, you can't beat herself up over this. Anna is a teenage girl. Her hormones are running the institution, so no one could have stopped her from doing what she wanted. Let's face it, she was more like me than she was you." I teased her lightly and she chuckled in agreement.

"I just wanted to show her what college is like." Rory sighed and I laughed lightly at her naivety.

"Everyone's college experience is different, Rory. Let's be honest, you are a bit of an oddity. Most college students are okay party's all night and sleeping all day. Speaking of which, I'm sorry about my part of today's prank." I apologised to her sincerely.

"It's okay, really. You're right. Everyone's college experience is different. Once we're out of college we're meant to be proper adults so I guess that this is kind of the last chance we have to act childish. Professor Bell rang me and offered to give me the class notes from the lecture today. I suppose I have you to thank you that." Rory said a little bit happier than she had been at the start of the phone call. I frowned in confusion because I hadn't ever spoken to Professor Bell. Realisation dawn on me and my mouth fell open in shock. Logan.

"Um, that wasn't me, Rory." I admitted to her and she was silent for a moment.

"Logan?" she asked a little shocked and I bit my lip to keep from giggling in delight.

"Probably."

"Wow." Was all she said and I raised an eyebrow.

* * *

Logan, Colin, Finn and I were standing together in a tight circle, drinking coffee and making plans for the night when Richard came strolling up to us.

"Grandpa?" I asked in question as I stepped forward and wrapped the older man in a hug. We pulled back a smiled at each other but then Richard's gaze fell on Logan.

"It's good to see you, Christa but I'm actually here to see young Mr Huntzberger." Richard admitted to us and we all looked at each other in confusion.

"Huh? Richard, this is a pleasant surprise. Finn, Colin, you know Richard don't you?" Logan said as he motioned to the other boys next to me.

"Well, my boys, nice to see you. Logan, I wanted to talk to you. I just heard about the incident."

"The?" Logan repeated with a confused look on his face. Colin, Finn and I shared a confusion and uncertain look but stayed quiet.

"I heard that you professed your feelings for Rory." Richard clarified and my mouth fell open. I looked at Colin and Finn and saw that their eyes were also as wide as saucers.

"What?" all four of us said at the same time.

"Mr Bell is a very dear friend of mine. As is the Dean of Admissions. Well, you know this place. News travels fast." Richard informed us and I put my hand over my mouth to stop the uncontrollable laughing that threatened to slip out of my lips.

"Oh, my God." I said in a hushed whisper.

"Yeah, look . . ." Logan started to say uncertainly.

"I have to tell you that while I understand what could have driven you to such a public display of affection, there is a proper time and place for that sort of thing. And a classroom in the middle of class is not one of them."

"No, I know. I –"

"However, what's done is done. It's out. So I've dropped by to tell you that I've spoken to your father." Richard said and Colin, Finn and I all looked at each other in shock. This was very bad for both Logan and Rory.

"My father?" Logan repeated, looking pale and slack jawed.

"We pounded out a few things. Property agreements, pre-nups, that sort of thing."

"Ok, I think there's been . . ."

"Oh, we came to a very fair agreement. I'm sure you'll be pleased. Now, we're setting up a dinner for next week to finalize the engagement and start talking about the ceremony. Emily is handling all the newspaper announcements, so not to worry. That's all taken care of."

"But –"

"She is a fine young lady, Logan. I want her to be happy. You'll take care of that, I assume. All right, I'll let you get back to your coffee break. Nice seeing all of you again. And Logan, welcome to the family, son." Richard said to him before turning to walk away. I followed his retreating figure with my eyes and saw him signal someone by rubbing his nose. I frowned and looked in the direction he signalled in. my eyes widened when I saw Rory hiding between pillars watching the scene that just played. She was laughing uncontrollably and I realised that this was her payback and giggled a little to myself. I looked back at Logan, who was now sitting on the bench with his hands in his hair. Colin and Finn were standing on either side of him, with a hand on each of his shoulders. I grinned at the scene and decided to help Richard and Rory out. I walked back to Logan and kissed his cheek and he looked up at him with helpless eyes. I smiled in sympathy and started walking away from the three of them at congratulate Rory and Richard.

"Welcome to the family, bro!" I called over my shoulder and I heard Logan groan loudly.


	11. Chapter 11

**Women Of Questionable Morals:**

I looked around the empty bedroom. Looking at the furniture and the artwork but not really seeing any of it. I ran a hand through my already mused hair and sighed deeply. I could feel the tears starting to fill my eyes but I blinked rapidly to hold them at bay. I wrapped one arm around my waist and left the other tangled in my hair. I faintly heard the door open and close behind me but I didn't turn to see who it was. I closed my eyes and I felt the person who entered the room move closer to me and rest a hand on my shoulder. I closed my eyes and focused on the warm of the hand on my right shoulder. I needed to focus all my attention on something mundane. I took another deep breath and felt the oxygen fill my lungs. I slowly let it out and moved quickly out of reach. I had been keeping myself together for my father and for Francine but I couldn't do it anymore. I strode over to the bookcase and pushed all the books onto the ground. I flung my arm out and knocked the items that were on the desk onto the floor. I leant against the wall, breathing deeply. I knew I looked disgusting and crazy with my mused up hair and the black streaks that ran down my cheeks because of the tears that messed up my mascara. I leant my head back against the wall and felt my knees buckle. I sunk down to the floor and pushed my knees up to my chest. Finally breaking down, I cried and cried. I felt someone sink down next to me and wrap their arms around me. They pulled me to their chest and I gripped their collar for dear life. I just let the tears flow as I sobbed and sobbed until I ran out of tears.

**The Morning Before:**

_Ring. Ring. Ring._

The sound of the phone ringing woke me up out of a deep, peaceful sleep. I rolled over, ignoring the sleeping presence next to me. I groaned as I reached for my cell phone and answered it without checking the caller ID.

"Hello?" I greeted groggily. I sat up, clutching the sheet to my chest as I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. When no one answered me, I glanced at the alarm clock on the bedside table and sighed in disbelief when I saw that it was only three in the morning. "Hello? Whoever this is better have a good reason for waking me up."

"Christa?" I heard my Dad say croakily and I frowned in concern at the tone of his voice.

"Dad? Are you okay? Is Gigi okay?" I asked in a panic. I had already started getting out the bed so that I could find the clothes that I had threw somewhere around the room last night.

"I'm fine and so is Gigi." Dad assured me and I sighed in relief. Even though Dad had assured me that he and Gigi were fine, that didn't explain why Dad was calling me this early in the morning in tears. I was about to ask what had happened when I froze in the act of putting on my shirt.

"Grandfather?" I asked in a sad whisper.

"Yeah, babe." He replied and I heard his voice crack. My heart nearly broke when I heard the broken sobs coming through the phone line. I just listened to my father grieve the loss of his as I continued putting on my clothing and walking out the front door of the random guy that I had met last night. I broke into a run as I neared my car.

"Are you at the hospital or your parents?" I asked my father as I climbed into the car.

"I'm at my parents' house." He replied to me question and I nodded to myself even though he couldn't see me.

"I'm on my way." I told him and started driving.

"No, babe, don't. You have school." Dad protested weakly and I rolled my eyes.

"You need me, Daddy." I said softly as I continued on my way to Hartford. I heard Dad audible sigh of relief that he wouldn't have to be alone. "Talk to me." I ordered him in a calm voice.

"About what?"

"Grandfather. Good memories. I know that you didn't get on very well, but there must have been some good memories growing up or when I was little."

"Yeah, there are good memories." He said quietly and I could hear the smile in his voice. "This one time when I was ten, I came home from school and Dad was already home from work. That in itself was a surprise. I asked him why he was home early on a Wednesday and he told me that he had a surprise for me. At that point in my life I was really into soccer, mind you. Dad took me into his office and pulled out two tickets to this really important soccer game for that afternoon. I was so happy. So excited. We went to the game together and we watched the players and ate hotdogs without Mom scolding us. We actually laughed together. It was one of the only times we got along, especially when we were alone."

"Soccer, really?" I asked with a small laugh.

"Yes, soccer." He said playfully and I smiled to myself.

"After the game, I thought we would go home and the phone would ring and it would be the office and that would be that. But, instead he took me to the locker room and introduced me to the team's manger. Apparently, Dad had organised for me to meet the team members. I didn't even know that he knew that I liked soccer. I never thought that he would pay attention to what interested me, you know? But that day he knew." He said and then chuckled at the memory. We sat in silence for a minute, just feeling the comfort of each other's breathing.

"I better go help my Mom." He finally said with a sigh and I made a sympathetic noise.

"Okay, I'm almost there anyway. I'll see you soon."

"Alright, babe." He said to me before hanging up the phone. I sighed and turned up the radio and spent the rest of the trip in silence as I remembered my father's father.

* * *

_It was the Christmas before I turned seven and I was spending the day at Francine and Staub's with Daddy. I was upset that I couldn't be with Mommy and Rory in Stars Hallow for Christmas so I was pouting in one of the many closets in the Hayden mansion. I had my knees pulled up to my chin and I could feel my bottom lip quivering but I held in the tears. I wasn't one to cry, even when I was sad. I wanted to be strong like Mommy. I clutched the stuffed monkey that Dad had let me unwrap earlier that morning in my hand. I heard voices outside the closet door so I hid behind some of the coats hanging up. I watched as the doorknob turned and the light from the hallway leaked into my hideout. Grandfather's head appeared around the door and pressed myself further into the corner so that he wouldn't see me. Unfortunately, my shoes squeaked on the floor and he noticed me curled up in the corner. He smiled softly at me and I lift my head up a little. _

_"Dad! Did you find her?" I heard my father ask grandfather and my eyes widened. I really didn't want to see Daddy because I didn't want him to know that I was sad about not spending the holiday with Mommy and Rory. I didn't want to upset Daddy. Grandfather quickly shut the door and I crept forward so that I could hear them outside the door in the hallway. _

_"Nope, sorry. Maybe she went outside to the horses? She does love them." Grandfather suggested and I frowned in confusion. Why hadn't grandfather told Daddy where I was hiding?_

_"Yeah, you're right. I'm going to go check. Can you keep looking?" Daddy asked. _

_"Of course." Grandfather agreed quickly and I heard footsteps walking away from the closet door. The closet door opened again, frightening me and I jumped backwards. Grandfather chuckled at me and I peeked up to see him smiling down at me. He held out a hand for me and I hesitantly took it so that he could pull me to my feet. He knelt down to my level so that he could look in my eyes. "Why are you hiding, Christine?" he asked me curiously and I frowned because I didn't want to tell him about missing Mommy and Rory. I knew that he and grandmother didn't want to know Rory and that they didn't like Mommy. He looked over my expression intently and heaved a sigh. "Is this about your mother and sister?" he asked, guessing what was on my mind. I hesitated again before slowly nodding my head in answer. He gave a sad smile and squeezed my hand compassionately before standing up to his full height. "Come on, I want to show you something." He said and with my small hand still in his larger one, we walked out of the closet and towards grandfather's office. _

_"What are you looking at?" I asked him once we got to the office. Grandfather stopped in the middle of the room and picked me up and deposited me on the couch. _

_"It's a surprise that then your grandmother doesn't know about." He said vaguely with a wink at me and I giggled at him. He walked over to the far wall and pressed a few buttons on a keypad while I watched curiously. The cupboard slid open to reveal a safe set in the wall. He rummaged around for a second before finding what he was looking for. He pulled it out of the safe with a giant smile of triumph on is lips. He walked back over to me and sat down next to me, pulling me into his lap so that we could look at the mysterious book together. "This way you can be with your mother and sister today as well." He whispered in my ear as he opened the book to reveal photos. A grin spread across my lips as I realised that this was a photo album filled with photos of me and Rory growing up. The first photo was a photo was me and Rory being held by Mommy as babies and it looked like it was taken just minutes after us been born. I hugged my grandfather tightly. _

_"Thank you." I whispered to him as tears sprang to my eyes. _

* * *

I spent the morning doing whatever Dad or grandmother asked of me. It mostly involved looking after Gigi while they made arrangements for the funeral and he wake. Gigi and I were sitting in my bedroom at our grandparents playing blocks when there was a knock on the closed door.

"Come in!" I called from my spot on the floor with Gigi. The opened a crack and Stephanie's head popped around the corner of it. She smiled at me sadly and I smiled back watery.

"Hi." I said sadly. I knew that her parents had probably informed her of Staub's death and while I was grateful that I had a friend that cared about my feelings, I really didn't want her or anyone else's pity.

"Hey, sweetie." She greeted me, her voice lacking its usual excitement. She walked over to me and Gigi, stepping carefully over the blocks. "How are you doing?"

"I'm okay really. I'm basically just babysitting my little sister while Dad and grandmother work out everything. I wish there was more that I could do for them, you know?"

"Is there anything I can do?" she asked as she sunk down next to me and pulled Gigi off my lap and into hers.

"Not really. Thank you though." I said to her sincerely. I gripped her hand in mine and she squeezed it comfortably.

"No problem." She replied as she set up the blocks for Gigi to knock over. We sat there together, the only noise the sound of blocks being knocked over and Gigi's high-pitched giggling. I leaned my head on my best friends shoulder and she started playing with my hair. "I should've brought tequila." She whispered to me and I started laughing at her comment and she started laughing with me uncontrollably and inappropriately. Once we calmed down, we went back to sitting in a comfortable silence, listening to my sister's delighted squeals as she knocked over the block tower repeatedly.

"Why haven't you called Colin?" Steph asked me curiously. I looked up at her and all I could see in her eyes was concern and curiosity not the judgement that I couldn't sometimes see in Rory's eyes. I thought about what she said and shook my head sadly.

"I can't. This is a family event. My grandfather's funeral. Our relationship isn't family tested. Hell, you remember that Yale alumni party I told you about?" I asked her and she nodded at me. "He had his arm around my waist and as soon as Richard came into view, he dropped it. He doesn't want a relationship. And I don't know if I do or I don't want one, anyway. It's not fair of me to ask him to come here." I explained to her and she frowned at me.

"But you are friends." She insisted with a small smile, which I returned.

"I'm okay." I assured her warmly. "I just need to be here for my Dad and my grandfather."

"Well, I'm here for you."

"I know and I appreciate it." I told her as I leaned in to hug her. I felt a single tear run down my cheek as I hugged my best friend.

* * *

I ran into Dad in the hallway when I was coming back from the bathroom. I had left Gigi with Steph for a minute and was hurrying back to them.

"Oh!" I said in surprise as I literally ran into Dad as I turned the corner. He grabbed my arm to stead me when I stumbled and I smiled gratefully at him. I looked over him subtly and could see that he looked better than what he when I first arrived this morning. His eyes were still red and bloodshot from crying but the tears had finally stopped.

"Hey, babe." He said softly as he looked me over as well, not as subtly.

"I'm fine, Dad. I'm just worried about you and grandmother." I assured him and I grabbed his hand compassionately.

"I'll be okay, kid."

"You should tell Rory and Mom." I said for the hundredth time that day. He shook his head at me sad but I could see how much he wanted to talk to Mom. Even after everything they had been through, Lorelai Gilmore was Christopher Hayden's best friend and had been since middle school. She was the one person that could help him through his father's death but he had begged me not to tell her or Rory. He seemed to be thinking it over and I just watched all the emotions wash over his face.

"Maybe I'll go visit Rory at Yale." He said slowly with a nod and I smiled at him happily.

"That's a great idea!" I said brightly.

"I'm not going to tell her about Dad."

"That's not a great idea."

"She only met him once and as you can remember, it didn't go very well." He protested and I just opened and closed my mouth because I really couldn't argue that.

"Fine, I guess." I sighed in defeat and gave my father a hug and he hugged me back tightly. He put his head in the crook of my neck and breathed deeply.

"I'm going to miss him." Dad whispered into my shoulder and I closed my eyes as I heard the heartache in his voice.

"I know, me too." I agreed as I blinked back tears. I refused to cry when I had to be strong for Dad and Francine.

* * *

Later the evening, after dad had gotten back from visiting Rory and Stephanie had left, I walked into Staub's office and smiled fondly as I remembered all the times I had sat on the couch and read while grandfather worked at the desk. I ran my hand over the desk that he had sat at millions of times over the years. I picked up the photo frame and smiled as I saw my own smiling face staring back at me. I walked over to the wall that hid the safe and ran my hand over the place where the door was. My fingers skimmed over where the keypad sat and I smiled inwardly. I glanced over at the door to make sure I was alone before turning back to the keypad. I typed in grandfather's birthday and it beeped in denial. I tried Staub and Francine's wedding anniversary and frowned when a got denied again. I pressed in dad's birthday and the keypad flashed red. I groaned and I tried mine and Rory's birthday and then smiled when the keypad flashed green to signal that I got the code number right. I opened the safe door slowly as if something was going to jump out at me. I pulled out the photo album that Staub had once sat and showed me and only me. I walked backwards with the album in my hands until my knees hit the back of the couch and I sunk down into it. I kicked off my heels and sat cross legged on the couch like I used to when I was little. Smiling softly I opened the photo album and looked at the picture with tears in my ears. I sat there and looked through the pages silently for over an hour until someone called my name from down the hall.

"Christine!"

Not wanting to be caught going through Staub's things I hurriedly placed the photo album in my bag but then noticed that an envelope had fallen out of it. I frowned in confusion and bent down to pick it up off the floor. I flipped it over and saw my name on the front in Staub's hand writing. I quickly put the envelope in with the album and made a mental note to read it later. Taking my bag with me, I quickly shut the safe and walked to the study door. I looked back last time and then closed it behind me.

* * *

_Dear Christine, _

_I know that you prefer to be called Christa and you are after all an adult so I'll start this letter over._

_Dear Christa,_

_I know that you have heard a lot of things about you and your sister from Emily, Richard, Francine and especially I but you and Rory are two the most precious things on the world to us. I watched Rory grow up from afar but I must say that watching you growing up right in front of me has been delightful and I wouldn't have it any other way, Christa. _

_I want you to know that I'm proud of the woman that you have become. _

_Princeton may have been what I push you towards but I am so pleased that you know who you are well enough to know that Princeton wasn't the right place for you. Yale is a marvellous school and they are lucky to have both you and your sister. _

_Something you have to know is that what you do in your life I am immensely proud of you, Christa. Anything you choose to do with your life, I know that you will excel at. _

_If you are reading this it either meanings one of two things._

_One: that you went snooping through my things._

_Or, two, I'm gone now._

_If it's the second of those options, I need you to look after your father for me. there is so much I regret about the way I raised Christopher but then I think about the kind of man he has become and about the way he raised you and I think to myself, 'I most have done something right to have raised a man like that.'. one of the few good days your father and I had together, we went to a soccer game. He was so excited. He face practically lit up with glee and it made my heart ache that I had missed out on so much time with him. I promised myself that I would work fewer hours and be there for him more but then I kept putting it off and that was wrong of me. _

_One of my greatest regrets is that I didn't spend more time with my family. And that includes all my family. Especially your sister, Rory. I missed out on my chance to know her because of my own stupid pride and stubbornness. The decisions I made regarding your mother and sister haunt me every day. _

_Don't do what I did, Christa. Don't what is expected of you. Don't have regrets. Be anything. Go anywhere and everything and don't let anyone hold you back. _

_Life is incredibly short not to go after what you want. _

_I love you, Christa. _

_Love, Your Grandfather. _

_Xoxo_

* * *

I looked around the empty bedroom. Looking at the furniture and the artwork but not really seeing any of it. I glance down at the piece of paper in my hand and I ran a hand through my already mused hair, sighing deeply. I could feel the tears starting to fill my eyes but I blinked rapidly to hold them at bay. I wrapped one arm around my waist and left the other tangled in my hair. I faintly heard the door open and close behind me but I didn't turn to see who it was. I closed my eyes and I felt the person who entered the room move closer to me and rest a hand on my shoulder. I closed my eyes and focused on the warm of the hand on my right shoulder. I needed to focus all my attention on something mundane. I took another deep breath and felt the oxygen fill my lungs. I slowly let it out and moved quickly out of reach. I had been keeping myself together for my father and for Francine but I couldn't do it anymore. After reading that letter my grandfather left for me, I was ready to burst. Every emotion that I had been keeping hidden had been brought the surface by the honesty and volubility of my grandfather's words. I strode over to the bookcase and pushed all the books onto the ground. I flung my arm out and knocked the items that were on the desk onto the floor. I leant against the wall, breathing deeply. I knew I looked disgusting and crazy with my mused up hair and the black streaks that ran down my cheeks because of the tears that messed up my mascara. I leant my head back against the wall and felt my knees buckle. I sunk down to the floor and pushed my knees up to my chest. Finally breaking down, I cried and cried. I felt someone sink down next to me and wrap their arms around me. They pulled me to their chest and I gripped their collar for dear life. I just let the tears flow as I sobbed and sobbed until I ran out of tears. I leaned against their chest and just listened to their heart beating.

"You'll be okay." They whispered in my ear and I nodded my head.

"Thank for being here, Colin." I whispered back softly and he kissed my forehead in response.


	12. Chapter 12

**Hey, guys! Sorry that this chapter is so short but I just couldn't think of anything to put in it. The next chapter will be better, I promise. **

**- BehindGrayEyes xx**

**Come Home:**

I was sitting on Rory's desk waiting for her when Paris came running into the room and straight for Doyle's office. I frowned as thoughts of what they could be doing in the office alone. Ever since they started seeing each other Doyle had been a constant presence around the dorm room. Now I had to put up the Doyle at home and a more than normal irritated Paris Geller. Paris knew that Doyle had a slight crush on me so she had been acting even more paranoid and irrationally insecure more than normal and it was starting to annoy the crap out me. I pulled out my phone to text Steph when Doyle came rushing out of his office in a panic. Paris was right on his heels as he made a fuss with all the other news reporters that were present.

"Alright, everyone act like actually have some kind of journalistic talent!" Doyle commanded from the front of the room. All the buzz came to a halt as an older gentleman walked in the door of the Yale Daily News. Everyone's face turned to a mixture of awe and fear as they stared at the man that had just entered the room. I glanced up from my phone and a smile broke out across my face. I hopped off my sister's desk and made my way towards the familiar man.

"Mitchum!" I cried happily as I got closer. The older Huntzberger turned when he heard my voice and a smile of his own crept up on him. He pulled me into his arms to hug me tightly and then pulled away to look me over with his hands still on my shoulders.

"Christa!" he greeted me just as happily. While Logan and his father didn't get along, Mitchum and I had always found a common ground somewhere. He looked at me in concern and question for a moment before a small smile touched his lips. "How are you, sweetheart?"

"I'm good, thank you." I assured him pleasantly.

"I heard about your grandfather. I was in London when I heard the news and I'm sorry I wasn't able to make it back for the funeral."

"It's okay, really. Shira, Logan, Honor, Josh and Elias all gave us your regards at the wake." I said with a teasing smile. "It seems your family is very well versed in covering for you, Mr Huntzberger."

"Yes, well, practice makes perfect." He agreed with hearty laugh and I joined him. "Are you coming to party I'm throwing for Seymour Hersh on Friday night?"

"Hmm, because that sounds so thrilling." I joked as I pretended to think about it. "No. The last time a saw Seymour, he asked me not to come to anymore of his parties." I explained with a grimace as remembered the last party I went to for the man.

"Please come to the party. I want to introduce you to Patricia DeRossi. She's a fashion designer and she's looking for young ladies in college to model clothing for her new line. Shira suggested you."

"Modelling?" I asked sceptically with a raised my eyebrows.

"I know you love been the centre of attention." He teased me with a wink and I laughed because he was right.

"I'll think about it." I agreed reluctantly.

"Hey, maybe you and Logan can go together." Mitchum suggested innocently and I started laughing as I realised what he was trying to do.

"Now, I see. This was all a set up to get me to go out with Logan!" I accused him with mock outrage as I poked him playfully in the chest.

"Can't help a guy for trying." He defended himself with shrug of his shoulders. "You're already like a daughter to me, what's so bad about me wanting to make it legal."

"If I'm like a daughter to you, then Logan would be my brother so if we got together to would be incest. And incest is wrong." I said with mock sadness as I pouted at him but then I couldn't keep a straight face and broke out laughing. Mitchum joined in my laughter and then looked over my shoulder in Doyle's direction. I followed his gaze and saw most of the room staring at us with open mouths.

"I better go talk to your editor." Mitchum said with a reluctant sigh and I smile sympathetically. I patted him on the shoulder lightly.

"Go easy on him. He may break." I warned the media mogul. He chuckled at me and pulled me into another hug.

"I'll see you Friday." He said to me but it sounded more like an order so I mock saluted to him with stern expression before smiling playfully and exiting the Yale Daily News room.

* * *

"Logan! You need to control your father!" I called out jokingly as I ran to catch up to him and Colin. They both stopped and turned around and looked at me oddly as I caught up to them in the courtyard. Logan wrapped an arm around my shoulders and we all started walking again.

"What did he do this time?" Logan asked me, his brown eyes twinkling with amusement.

"He's making me go to the party he's throwing for Seymour Hersh." I complained to them, leaning my head on his shoulder as we walked. I could feel Colin's eyes on me but tried to ignore the heat rising to my cheeks.

"Well, so am I. so can go together." Logan said cheerfully and I laughed without humour.

"No, we can't." I told him as I pulled away and started walking backward in front of him. He looked at me confused as he grabbed my arm so that I wouldn't walk into a garbage can. I smiled gratefully at him but continued to walk backwards so that I could see their faces as I talked.

"Why not?" Colin asked me curiously.

"Because that's what Mitchum suggested." I told them and they rolled their eye simultaneously. I put more mock serious face and did my best impression you Mitchum Huntzberger. "Christa, you are nearly twenty one years of age. That is marrying age in the eighteen hundreds. We must find you a suitable husband instantly. He must be from a good family with no genetic defects. A blue blood! A gentleman suitor that works all the time while you stay home with the children. But you won't actually care for them. You'll just hire someone from a third world country to do it for you."

"But what about the cleaning?!" Colin cried, playing along with my act.

"Oh, the daily chores!" I exclaimed with fake excitement. "I can supervise the chores while sipping cocktails on the patio with the girls. We will plan parties and say they're for charity when in reality it's just an excuse to have an open bar. And we will need an open bar because I haven't had sex since our children were conceived!"

"That sounds horrible." Logan aid with a grimace at the thought of not having sex and Colin and I both nodded in agreement. I launched into another fake scenario.

"Oh, it is! But luckily, I'm having an affair with a pool boy. And the gardener. They are young and foreign. I'm pretty sure that my husband knows about the affair because I sure know about the multiple hookers he sleeps with on his 'business trips'," I said, making bunny ears with my fingers, "My husband and I absolutely loath each other but we won't divorce each other because that would look bad in our society. So instead, we stay together and pretend to stand each other but in reality I spend every moment planning his murder. That way I get all the fortune instead of only half! Since I was stupid enough not to sign a pre-nup before we got married."

"You make marriage sound so great." Colin said with a fake dreamy sigh. I grinned up at the both of them and spun around so that I was walking in the right direction.

"Definitely something I'm going to be rushing towards." Logan added with a playful grin and I nodded in agreement.

"Totally!" I agreed and then another thought came to me. "Oh! He also wants me to meet Patricia DeRossi, the fashion designer. They want me to model her new line."

"You'd be great at that." Logan agreed with his parents.

"That's what Mitchum said." I pointed out with a laugh as he glowered at me.

* * *

On Friday night I was on my way back from the Seymour Hersh party in New York. I was a little tipsy and was lying across one of the seats in the limo with Colin massaging from my ankle to my thigh. I smiled up at him lazily and he grinned back at me. I sat up with my legs still thrown over his legs and wrapped an arm around his neck so I could draw him down to kiss me. I was immensely glad that Logan had found a girl to go home with at the party because at that moment I didn't think anything could stop us from having sex in the limo. As our kissing got more heated, I pushed his jacket off his shoulders without breaking the kiss. My phone ringing broke us out of our heated make out session. I pulled away from him and he groaned loudly, making me laugh as I reached for my purse. I pulled out my phone and checked the caller ID. I sighed and pressed to answer the call, making Colin groan again and lean back on the seat.

"Hello, dear twin sister. Someone better be dying." I greeted her with fake politeness.

"Grandma and grandpa got back to together!" Rory cried out happily and I smiled at the her declaration.

"That's great, Rory." I told her honestly.

"Mom and I went to Friday night dinner and saw them laughing through the window and then they started kissing. Went in and they just announced that they were back together and that they are renewing their vows next week on their fortieth wedding anniversary, isn't that romantic? Grandma asked mom to be her maid of honour." Rory informed me and I snorted at the thought of mom being Emily's maid of honour. "Oh, and grandpa asked me to be the best man."

"They do know that you're a girl, right?" I teased her as I leaned back next Colin and relaxed into his touch as he pulled off my heels and massaged my feet for me. I smiled at him as he worked the muscles and I nearly moaned in pleasure.

"Yes, they know I'm a girl. They were so happy, Christa. I haven't seen them that happy in a long time." Rory stated with a happy sigh.

"It's great, Rory." I said, using the nickname I used to call her when we were little.

"Weren't you meant to be here tonight? Where are you?" she asked me curiously.

"I'm currently getting a foot massage in a limo driving back from New York City." I explained and then giggled when Colin tickled my foot. "I told to go to a party for Seymour Hersh. I would've invited you, but it was a last minute invitation."

"Wait, are you talking about the party for Seymour Hersh that Mitchum Huntzberger threw?"

"Yeah, how did you hear about it?" I asked her with a curious frown.

"Doyle, when Mitchum came to talk to him the other day at the Yale Daily News. I even offered to help Logan with his article so that I could drop hints that I wanted to go."

"Wait a minute. You wanted to go on a date with Logan?" I asked her incredulously and Colin's head snapped up at my question. Rory hesitated a minute before answering me.

"I don't know." She admitted to me softly. "But I do know that I wanted to meet Seymour Hersh."

"Eh, he isn't so great." I informed her and she chuckled at me. "So, you like Logan?" I prodded with a smile. I knew that Logan like Rory, even if he wouldn't admit it. I saw Colin adjust himself in his seat when I glanced at him from the corner of my eye and narrowed my eyes at him in suspicion.

"Maybe a little." She admitted sheepishly and I squealed in delight. "He is really cute, and funny, and smart. I mean, he actually gets all of the references that I make. I spent time actually talking to him today when we were working on his article. It was great."

"I'm happy for you, Rory." I told her honestly.

"I better go, I have a paper due tomorrow."

"Alright, sweets. Talk to you later." I said before I hung up the phone. I immediately turned to Colin in suspicion and narrowed my eyes at him. "What do you know?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Colin lied and I leaned in closer to him so that my lips were right near his ear.

"Tell me." I demanded in a husky voice and I smiled when he shivered in response.

"I don't know anything." He repeated and I moved my hand onto his thigh and pushed down a little. I pressed a kiss gently onto his neck, just enough that my lips brushed against him.

"Tell me what you know." I ordered softly as I peppered light kisses down his neck and onto his chest. He swallowed visually and I chuckled throatily. I moved so that I was straddling him and looked deep into his eyes, biting my bottom lip seductively. He shook his head slightly and I ran my finger his hand chest, using my nail to lightly scratch him. I could feel all of him harden in response and I pressed further into him. I pressed my lips to his neck and sucked gently and he moaned in response to my teasing. "Tell me." I ordered again, softly into his ear and he scrunched his eyes shut, trying to block me out so that he wouldn't spill. I moved my hand down lower so that it rested just over his pants zipper. "Tell me. What. You know." I demanded huskily into his ear and he finally broke.

"Fine." He breathed lightly and I waited for him to compose himself before telling me. He opened his eyes and looked me in the eye levelly. "Logan told me that he likes Rory." Colin admitted to me and I grinned widely and clapped my hands together. "But, he also said that Rory is a girlfriend kind of girl and he isn't boyfriend material." He continued and I pouted at the ending but I had to agree with him. Rory wasn't dating girl. She had only been in two relationships but she wasn't the type to date around. She couldn't help getting emotionally involved. Not that I was one to talk now that I was starting to have feelings for Colin.

"That's all?" I asked him with a raised eyebrow and he swallowed before nodding his head. I smiled saucily and kissed him hungrily, to which he responded to eagerly. We continued to kiss and kiss until it became too heated to stay just kissing.


	13. Chapter 13

**Wedding Bell Blues:**

Rory and I had decided to stay in Stars Hollow at Mom's house that night to have a Cop Rock marathon. We were all in the kitchen preparing a feast of frozen waffles, pop tarts and other delicious but bad for you food. Rory's laptop was set up at the table and she was burning CD's as we 'cooked'.

"Okay, I know I was the one that said I was craving mashed potatoes, but, oh my God, they're a lot of work." Mom said as she read over the back of a package of instant mashed potatoes.

"It's instant mashed potatoes. Key word: instant." I told her with an eye roll.

"Oh, no, not instant. I have to mix water and butter into it, not to mention the adding of salt and pepper."

"OK The Best of Super Furry Animals complete." Rory announced as she looked at the laptop screen on the table.

"Oh! Plus I have to rip the package open, dump it into a bowl and, oh my God, are they serious? I have to stir the mixture to combine? What is this, the Gulag?" Mom continued to rant about the stupid potatoes and I just bit my lip to keep from laughing at her.

"Hey, do you want the Arcade Fire?" Rory asked us and I nodded enthusiastically.

"I don't know, do I?" Mom asked me and I looked over at her with a raised eyebrow. I couldn't believe that she hadn't heard Arcade Fire.

"Yes." I said simply as I went to take the mashed potatoes packet out of her hand.

"Then yes." Mom said to Rory and my twin starting clicking on the laptop. "So basically once I'm finished with all this manual labour, I still have to clean the bowl."

"And the spoon." I pointed out to her as I read the back of the package.

"What do I use the spoon for?" Mom asked me with a confused frown on her face and I pointed to the package in my hand and she looked over my shoulder to see.

"Stir to combine." I said as I pointed to the words on the package. Mom just scoffed at me and picked up the bowl before waving her hand around in it.

"Pfft. Right. What do I use the spoon for?"

"Oh, my mistake. Carry on."

"So let's cut to the chase. How badly do you want these mashed potatoes?" Mom asked both me and Rory and we gave her a look.

"You wanted the mashed potatoes." We pointed out together.

"'Cause with tater tots I can just rip and dump." I pointed out to Mom with a happy smile at the thought of tater tots.

"Then stick with your strengths. Brain Master Eno coming up next." Rory commented and Mom moved to get the tater tots out of the freezer. There was a knock at the back door and I jumped at the sudden noise behind me.

"Who is it?" I called out, not moving from my place at the table.

"It's me." Luke said from the other said of the door and I smiled because I hadn't seen Luke in a while.

"Me who?" Mom asked him and I laughed at her.

"Rory, can you just open the door?" he asked my twin, since he knows that Mom and I would most likely keep teasing him instead of opening the door. Rory gave a smile as she stood up to open the door for Luke. "Do you have an extension cord I can use?"

"I'll go look." Rory answered him before going out of the kitchen to look for an extension cord.

"Hi! Come on in." Mom said brightly to her boyfriend and I smiled inwardly when I see her light in his presence.

"No, that's all right. I don't want to disturb you guys." Luke said, not moving from the doorway. I stood up and went to stand next to Mom.

"Oh, you're not disturbing us." I assured him with a genuine smile.

"Well, I'm dirty."

"I knew there was something Mom liked about you." I teased him playfully.

"Well, so is the house." Mom said to him, ignoring my comment.

"And if I come in there I'll see what you guys are planning on eating and I'll want to kill myself." Luke admitted to us and I broke out in laughter because he knew us so well.

"It just so happens I am making a garden spring salad with three bitter lettuces and a breaded French country chicken." Mom lied to him with a smug smile on her lips.

"Really, you are?" he asked sarcastically.

"No. So how's the boat coming?" I asked him curiously, tilting my head.

"Slow."

"Oh, well, you should've built a motorboat." Mom joked and I chuckled. Rory walked back into the kitchen then with an extension cord in hand.

"Extension cord." She said as she handed it to him.

"Thank you. I'll let you get back to taking five years off your life." Luke said to us and I snorted at the comment.

"Meh. They were the five where I would've been wearing fuchsia lipstick way beyond my lip line, so I wouldn't want 'em anyhow." I said to him with shrug and he just shook head at me. Mom and Luke kissed goodbye in the doorway and I playfully covered Rory's eyes so that she wouldn't see.

"See you tomorrow." Luke said to us and I waved goodbye to him.

"Ten-thirty sharp." Mom reminded him before he turned around and left back to his boat that was in Mom's garage. I went back to preparing the tater tots and put them in the preheated oven.

"Okay. First course. Ready?" I asked Mom and Rory as I turned around to face them.

"Ready!" they said at the same time and I gasped at them.

"You're right that is creepy." I said with a smile as I fake shuddered.

"Let's Cop Rock." Mom said and we all cheered and made out way into the lounge room. The phone started ringing as we walked into the lounge room and Mom picked it up off the cradle.

"Hello? What? Uh, but - No, Mom, I - I'm not the woman who made it. Make her fix it. What does that mean? Yes, Mom, but - It's not even the most important day of your marriage! No. Hello? Mom? But –"Mom said but then hung up the phone and turned to look at me and Rory, who were sitting on the couch in the longue room waiting for her. "She's coming over."

"Why?" I asked her with a grimace.

"Because she won't buy her seamstress a puppy." Mom said as if that explained everything. She walked over to the couch and fell down in the middle of Rory and me.

"Oh, sure." Rory said in mock understanding.

"Something about her dress. Crap, what are we going to do?" Mom asked us as she gripped our hands. We all looked at the massive amount of junk food.

"I don't know!" I declared in a loud voice.

"We can't eat all of this before she gets here."

"Most of it." Rory supplied and snorted in acknowledgement.

"Sure, most of it." I agreed with her.

"But not the tater tots or the pizza tower." Rory argued and I silently agreed with her.

"Okay, we'll have to do the evening in two parts. We'll watch one Cop Rock, eat this stuff here, she'll come over, I'll get her dress done as fast as I can, then we'll continue with our evening." Mom compromised and I nodded in agreement.

"We can do that." I said brightly.

"Maybe we should put it off." Rory suggested.

"She comes, I fix, she goes, we Rock. Now eat." Mom ordered and we all dived onto the pile of food on the coffee table.

"Hmm." I moaned as I bit into a pop-tart. Later that night we were still eating and although a majority of the food had been eaten there was still some left on the coffee table. Someone knocked on the door and Mom jumped up to answer it.

"Mom, great. Come on in. Okay, so, is that the dress?" Mom asked as she herded Emily into the longue room where Rory and I waited.

"Yes, yes –"Emily started to say but Mom took the garment bag from Emily's arms and started opening it.

"Okay, well, let me take a look here." Mom said as she looked over the dress and Emily came to greet me and Rory.

"Hi, Grandma. Big day tomorrow, huh?" I said as she hugged me. Her gaze fell on the coffee table and her expression was one of disbelief and horror.

"That wasn't your dinner, was it?" she asked us as she pointed to the table.

"No, that was just the appetizer." Rory tried to assured her.

"Oh, well that's a relief." Emily said sarcastically to us.

"Mom, I don't see anything wrong." Mom said from behind us and went over to look at the dress because I had picked up Mom talent for dressmaking.

"Lorelai, are you blind? Look!" Emily exclaimed as she came over to us.

"Where?" Mom asked, still not seeing the problem.

"Right there." I told her as I pointed to the problem that I had seen straight away. "That bead and that bead and that bead, all loose."

"Okay, I see it now. I don't know how I missed it. Well, this is going to take me no time at all, five minutes tops." Mom said as she headed for the stairs.

"Well, don't rush it." Emily ordered her daughter sternly.

"No, no, no rush. It's an easy job. Three and a half minutes and you're on your way. You don't even need to sit down, because by the time you do, this'll be done. In fact you should have just left the car running 'cause that's how quick this is going to be." Mom babbled as she bolted up the stairs to her bedroom. Emily turned back to me and I smiled uncertainly because she was eying me weirdly.

"You have quite the eye." She complimented me and I smiled sincerely.

"I guess I picked it up from Mom. I just worked with Patricia DeRossi on her new line." I told her with a shrug of my shoulders and she gasped in delight. Emily grabbed my arm and pulled me down onto the couch next to her.

"You worked with Patricia DeRossi?" Emily asked me with a mixture of pride and awe in her voice. I nodded my head in enthusiastically at the memory.

"It was great! I got offered a job modelling for her but when I was at the fitting I made an impression on Ms DeRossi when I corrected one of the interns."

"Interns." Emily agreed with a scoff and I laughed with her.

"Anyway, Ms DeRossi offered me an internship with her this summer in New York." I bragged to my grandmother.

"Just from that meeting?"

"Yes!" I squealed excitedly and Emily pulled me into another hug.

"Congratulations, Christa!"

"Thank you." I told her sincerely as she kept hold of my hand.

"So how you holding up, Grandma?" Rory asked Emily.

"I'm a wreck, actually." Emily admitted to us.

"Why?" we asked in unison.

"I still can't decide exactly what to do with my hair, and I have absolutely zero faith that my wedding planner is going to be able to pull this off –"Emily started to say but was interrupted by Mom coming back down stairs with her sewing things.

"Thirty seconds - someone clock me." Mom said as she came into the longue room. She noticed Emily taking off her coast and froze. "What are you doing?"

"Do you have anything to drink?" Emily asked, ignoring Mom previous question.

"No, no, Mom, why are you taking off your coat?"

"Some wine, or some chilled vodka, perhaps?"

"Yeah, but you might want to hold off on having a drink, Mom, 'cause you're going to be driving in two shakes of a lamb's tail."

"Well, I could use a little something. Calm my nerves about this wedding planner I hired."

"I'm sure everything's going to be fine."

"I don't see how it can be, everything is so last minute, and I didn't even get a decent rehearsal!"

"Mom, I promise you, I have successfully walked in a straight line at least once before. I can get you the cop's name if you want to talk to him."

"Oh, well, it's too late to do anything about it now." Emily declared hopelessly as she got up and went into the kitchen.

"No, no, Mom. Wait, I'm almost there, I'm almost there! I'm done, I'm done, and I'm done!" Mom protested and then sighed when it was useless. The phone rang and Mom turned to me.

"Stop her from getting a drink." Mom pleaded with me helplessly.

"How?" I asked her.

"Show her Nick Nolte's mug shot." Mom suggested helpfully and I scowled at her as Rory sighed and went to go find Emily instead of me. "Hello?" Mom said as she answered the phone. "I'm fine, Dad, how are you? Geez, Dad, hanging out at the bath house again? My - So, Dad, Mom told you we were having a party? Okay. Will do." She said as she hung up and I looked at her questioningly. "Okay, so here's a fun twist for your viewing pleasure. My father thinks my mother is here for her bachelorette party." She told me and I felt my eyebrows rise to my headline.

"What? Why does he think that?"

"I think she told him that."

"Oops."

"Ah, were we supposed to throw her a bachelorette party?"

"I don't know. You're the maid of honour. Aren't you supposed to plan these things?"

"I didn't think you had a bachelorette party when you hadn't been a bachelorette for forty years. Oh my God, she is going to hold this against me for the rest of my life."

"So what do we do?" I asked her and followed her gaze to the kitchen where Emily and Rory still were.

* * *

Mom entered the longue room with Gypsy but I barely noticed. I was laughing so hard with Emily, Patty and Babette that I didn't notice anything around me. I took a huge gulp of rum and coke out of a plastic cup.

"Look, everyone, it's Gypsy!" Mom announced from the entry way and we all turned to look at her. We all cheered when we saw them.

"Gypsy! Gypsy's here! Everyone, Gypsy's here!" Emily squealed drunkenly and giggled at her.

"Gypsy, that's Emily." Mom pointed out to the newcomer.

"Come on, Gypsy, come over here and sit by me." Emily said as she patted the spot next to her.

"Okay." Gypsy agreed a little hesitantly so Babette moved down on the couch so that Gypsy could sit there.

"I have to say, Christa, I am loving this drink. Have you ever had one of these, Gypsy?" Emily asked the woman besides her and I raised my own cup in acknowledgement to Emily's praise.

"I don't know."

"It's called a rum and coke." Emily supplied and everyone laughed at her.

"You know, you may look high-brow, Emily, but underneath, you're just a broad." Babette said just as Rory walked in with tater tots.

"Did you hear that, Gypsy, I'm a broad." Emily said happily to the new woman.

"Yeah, I always suspected." Gypsy replied drily.

"So, Emily, tell us about this party of yours tomorrow." Patty encouraged her.

"It's going to be fabulous. Isn't it, Lorelai?" Emily asked her daughter, who was leaning against the couch.

"Ab fab, sweetie darling." Mom replied in a posh voice and Emily and I started giggling uncontrollably.

"Isn't she hilarious? I never have any idea what she's talking about, but she's so entertaining! Like a chimp. Isn't she like a chimp, Gypsy?"

"Please make your mother stop talking to me." Gypsy begged Lorelai.

"If only I had that power." Mom replied to her request.

"The party is going to be very, very big. Flowers everywhere, and my dress is incredible. The woman who made it is a genius." Emily started telling Patty and Babette about her wedding. I saw Mom and Rory share a look when she mentioned the dress.

"So where's it going to be?" Babette asked her.

"The Windsor Club." Emily told her proudly.

"Ooh, fancy." Sookie said to her.

"Well, that ain't no toilet bowl." Babette added and I snorted as I took another sip and frowned when I found my cup empty.

"No, it certainly is not. It is the perfect place to have my perfect wedding. And what I had to go through to get it, let me tell you." Emily said before she went to take a sip and found her own cup empty as well. "Lorelai, the cup's empty!" Emily said sadly and pouted at Mom and raised my cup in the air for a refill.

"Me too!" I cried out as Mom got up to refill Emily's drink.

"It was booked up two years in advance, and the Sheldrakes had the Rose Room. They were having a retirement party or something like that," Emily continued with her story as Mom poured drink into her cup and then into mine. I smiled up at her gratefully. "And they simply refused to let us have the room. They were stubborn, and selfish, and now, after all the strings I pulled, they are across town at the Bluestone Club, with their piped-in music and their pornographic fountains." Emily said and then she, Patty and I all burst laughing.

"I really feel like we should play games or something, or have naughty gifts like edible underwear or dirty-shaped pasta." Sookie said to the group and I nodded enthusiastically.

"Yeah, too bad - oh, oh!" Mom cried as she got up and headed for the kitchen. "Just a sec."

"Where is she going? Gypsy, where is she going?" Emily asked the woman next to her as Mom left. Gypsy looked very uncomfortable until Mom came back into the room holding a box in her hand. I sat up straighter and crane my head to try and see what it was.

"What are you doing?" Sookie asked her best friend and then got a look at what it was. I looked at it to and saw a box of dirty-shaped pasta.

"No way!" I exclaimed as I looked at it.

"Where did you get that?" Sookie asked her.

"You gave it to me." Mom reminded her and Sookie thought about it.

"Oh, yeah." She said with a giggle.

"Mom, for you on your special night." Mom said as she handed the box of pasta to Emily. Emily took the box, confused.

"What's this? Oh my God! Oh my God!" she exclaimed as she looked at the box and then she burst out laughing and so did Patty, Babette, Gypsy and I.

* * *

"Our grandmother is fast asleep in Mom's bed, clutching my Hello Kitty pillow, and yes, I have pictures!" I announced as I walked into the kitchen where Rory was cleaning up dishes from the party.

"I cannot believe how much rum Grandma drank tonight." Rory said to me in disbelief as she threw out a bag of plates.

"How much rum she drank?" I asked rhetorically, referring to myself. I noticed Emily's purse and tip toed over and opened it up.

"Hey, that's Grandma's bag." Rory protested when she caught me. I ignored her and pulled out a big book. "What are you doing?"

"I have no idea, I am drunk." I answered her as I skipped over to the table.

"Hey! Come back here with that." Rory scolded me as I put the book on the table and opened it. I found that it was a wedding book and I turned to the page with the seating chart, smiling evilly. "What are you doing?"

"There is no way I'm sitting next to Missy Hollargan." I said with a scoff as I picked up the sticker and looked over the page to find somewhere else to stick it.

"Stop that, that's Grandma's seating chart!" Rory order me and then she went to fridge to get me some water.

"I know, I'm just fine-tuning it. Oh, the Ramsey's divorce must be legal by now. Time for a little reunion." I said gleefully as I moved the stickers.

"You're evil and I'm going to tell."

"Well if you tell, then I'm going to tell cousin Drew, aka the Power Spitter, that you like him." I threatened as I narrowed my eyes at her.

"You're mean." Rory said with a pout and I grinned again because I knew that I had won the argument.

"Hmm. Man, I'll say one thing for our grandparents, they certainly command a good turnout." I muttered to myself. I saw Colin McCrae on the seating chart and smiled to myself.

"Hey, do you think the Sheldrakes will be unhappy at the Bluestone Club?" Rory asked me randomly and I frowned at her for a minute before turning back to the seating chart.

"Oh, I have no idea. However, I do know that Dinky Shaw is going to be sitting next to her ex-husband's daughter from his second marriage. This is the daughter whose conception caused the second marriage. And everybody should bring an extra roll of film." I said happily as I moved the stickers. "Hey, I wonder if Emily would notice if she and Richard were suddenly at different tables." I wondered out loud but Rory gave a look and I resisted the urge to change it. "Okay." I said with pout.

* * *

"Hey, have you seen my Sparkly Venom lip gloss?" I heard Mom yell as I moved around my room, trying to get ready.

"Yes, I have, it's at school." I screamed back up the stairs from my basement apartment.

"Well, as long as it's safe." Mom called back and I rolled my eyes as she I found a sensible dress.

"Hey, what time is it?" Rory called from her own her and I looked at the clock on my wall.

"Ten thirty-five. Rats!" I replied as I quickly curled my hair. There was a knock at the front door but I ignored it because Mom and Rory were up there and I thought one of them would get it.

"Rory, can you get that?" Mom asked my twin and I groaned at their laziness.

"I'm not dressed yet!" Rory protested in a shout and I frowned and looked up at the roof where she would be.

"You're not? It's ten thirty-five!" I called up to her in disbelief.

"So?"

"Finally, that childish punctuality of yours has worn off." Mom answered her for me. I finished my hair and went to let my makeup.

"Stop." Rory ordered.

"My baby's a woman." Mom joked and I laughed. I stood in front of my mirror and started applying my eyeliner.

"Hello?" Luke's voice interrupted the banter so I assumed that it was Luke at the front door.

"Luke?" Mom asked in a shout.

"Uh, yeah. The front door was open."

"I'll be right there."

"Hi, Luke!" Rory and I called at the same time and I smiled to myself as I put on my mascara carefully.

"Hey, Rory, Christa. You know your front door was open? It wasn't like that all night, was it?" Luke asked loudly so that we could hear him. There was silence for a few Moments so I guessed that Mom had gone to greet Luke. I finished my make up and went to search for shoes that would match my emerald green dress.

"Christa, Rory, let's motor!" Mom called to us and I went to work faster.

"Just a minute!" I called back. I found a pair of black stilettos and quickly pulled them on and ran up the stairs to the see Mom, Luke and Rory waiting for me.

"Oh, we're late. Let's go!" I said to them with a smile as I walked passed them.

"Wait, aren't you going to lock up?" Luke asked us in concern so Mom turned back around to face the house.

"Babette, lock up when you leave?" Mom called to the neighbour who was still passed out from last night.

"You got it, honey!" she called back and I laughed as I sauntered over to the car.

* * *

Once we were at the Windsor club I was starting to get anxious, mostly because of Mom's complaining that we were late.

"Oh, please let them not be here yet." Mom begged quietly and I snorted in disbelief.

"They'll be here." I replied dryly.

"Well, you tell them you were running late." Mom said offhandedly and I scoffed at her.

"You were running late too." I protested and then I had an idea and apparently Mom had it to because we both turned to Rory at the same time, with evil grins on our lips.

"No!" Rory said loudly and Mom and I pouted at her.

"My pants are all wrinkled from the ride." Luke said randomly and I frowned at him as I looked over his pants.

"Do you see them?" Mom asked us, slight panic in her voice.

"No." Rory and I said at the same time.

"It looks like I slept in them." Luke complained again about his pants and I rolled my eyes but smiled anyway.

"Hey, stop being such a Nancy-boy about the pants. Think Hemingway ever gave a crap what his pants looked like?" Mom said to him.

"Hemingway blew his brains out, also. How much of a role model do you want me to make this guy?" Luke asked her as Emily and Richard walked towards us.

"Well, there they are." Emily greeted us.

"Hello, girls." Richard said and I smiled at them.

"Apparently they're going to change here also." Luke muttered to himself and I elbowed him in the stomach.

"Sorry, um, Rory had a little emergency." I told Emily and Richard.

"So did Mom." Rory retorted and I stifled a laugh.

"So did Christa." Mom said childishly and I scoffed again.

"I hope everything's all right." Emily said and I couldn't tell if it was genuine or not.

"Yes. Just fine. How is everything going?" Mom asked politely.

"Utter disaster. That moronic wedding planner finally fulfilled her potential. I get here and I go through my seating chart, and it's a mess. It looked like a drunken psychopath took a stab at it. I had to re-do the entire thing. It took me two hours and years off my life." Emily said and Rory shot me a look. I tried to look innocent but I could feel my smile about to break out on my lips.

"Maybe she just got confused." Mom suggested with a shrug because she didn't know the real reason.

"She did get confused. Confused about what her profession should be. Anyway, I fired her. That should help clarify things for her."

"Third realm of hell, party of one." Rory said and I nodded.

"Mom, how could you fire her now? Who's going to run the wedding?" Mom asked Emily.

Well, luckily Marilyn came into town early for the ceremony, and she offered to help out." Emily explained and I had finally had enough.

"I'm going to get a drink. I'll see you all later." I said as I turned on my heel and walked away from them. I walked down the hall and snuck into the reception hall. I walked straight up to the bar and looked over my shoulder to make sure no one was watching before picking up a bottle of champagne and taking it. I slipped out of the room with a grin on my face. I opened the bottle and took a gulp out of the bottle. I slipped off my stilettos because they were annoying the hell out me. I walked down the empty hallway with my heels in one hand and a bottle of champagne in the other. I heard a door open behind me but didn't really take much notice. Someone slipped an arm around my waist and pulled me into an empty room off the corridor. I squealed in surprise as I was ripped in the room. Someone's arm was still around my waist and I struggled to get free. I heard a familiar laugh and I sighed in relief. I realised that he had done and I pushed myself out of their arms.

"You ass!" I swore him as I turned around to face him.

"I'm sorry." Colin apologised to me but he was still laughing. His laughter made me smile regardless of how pissed I was that he scared me. I looked at him in his tuxedo and had to bit my lip. Damn, he looked good.

"Hi." I said huskily as I ran my hand over his lapel. He touched the back of his hand to my cheek and I smiled softly.

"Hi." He whispered back to me. I looked at his lips and I couldn't help it anymore. I kissed him. He returned the kiss eagerly and before long we were panting in between kisses and our hands was roaming each other, tugging at each other's clothing. We were lying together on the floor with only Colin's tuxedo jacket covering us. I glanced at the clock on the wall and roll over with a sigh.

"I have to go." I said reluctantly and he nodded but pulled me into another kiss. Laughing as I pulled away, I stood up and put on my underwear back on. Colin was lying on his back with his hands behind his head watching me slip my cocktail dress back on. I raised an eyebrow at him and smirked. "Like what you see?"

"Immensely." He replied with a grin and I giggled as I slipped on my heels. His phone beeped and I looked over at it on the other side of the room. I walked over to get it and accidently glanced at the message.

**Olivia: Where are you? The ceremony's about to start. X**

I stared at the text message in disbelief and blinked back tears. I plastered a fake, society smile on my lips as I turned to face Colin. He was leaning up on his elbows and looking at me curiously. I chucked his phone at him and it landed on his chest hard.

"Olivia wants to know where you are." I informed him as I turned on my heel and left the room just as he opened his mouth to say something. I strode down the hallway, determined not to cry because of Colin McCrae.

I entered the reception hall after the ceremony with Mom, Luke and Rory. Everyone was laughing joyously and music was playing in the background. I walked behind them next to Rory. We both had out arms folded of our chest and were frowning.

"And over here we have the Romanov table." Mom pointed out to Luke.

"Wow. Look at those flower arrangements. This thing must've cost a fortune! They're real orchids." Luke exclaimed and I raised an eyebrow at the comment.

"A little gayer, please." Mom said to him, thinking the same thing I was.

"I'm just saying." Luke defended himself.

"Oh, wasn't the ceremony perfect? The candles and that judge. I should have married him. I was such a snob, I wouldn't have a civil servant." The wedding planner said as she came over to us. She smiled at Luke coyly and placed a hand on his arm. "You're saving a dance for me." she said flirtatiously before leaving.

"Oh my God, there's dancing?" Luke asked with a groan.

"Yeah. We're doing the one from Pulp Fiction. Do you want to be Uma, or should I?" Mom joked with him.

"I'll meet you guys at our table later." Rory announced to the group.

"Table five, hon." Mom told her.

"I'm going with her." I said to them and linked my arm with Rory's. We walked away from Mom and Luke. "Stupid happy couples." I muttered to myself and Rory squeezed my arm sympathetically. Rory and I walked over to our table and I sunk down into the closet chair. Rory sat down next to me.

"What's up with you?" Rory asked me in concern and I leaned my head on the table.

"I had sex with Colin." I announced and turned to look at her from the corner of my eye. Her eyebrows were in her hair in confusion.

"That's not that shocking." She said to me, her voice laced with confusion and I rolled my eyes at her.

"No, I had sex with him today. In an empty room."

"Oh."

"Hmm."

"I'm still not seeing the problem." She said, still confused.

"I like him. Like actually like him." I admitted to her softly and her eyes widened. "He bought a date."

"So did Logan." Rory said and I looked over at her.

"Boys are stupid." I declared as I crossed my arms over my chest. Rory laughed at my childishness and I joined in. I sighed as I grabbed her hand in my own, taking comfort in my twin's presence.

* * *

As we watched Emily and Richard enjoying their first dance, I could help but look out the corner of my eye at Colin and his date. I sighed and looked back at the happy, dancing couple. I noticed my Dad get up and leave so I followed him, concerned. On the way, I grabbed a bottle of scotch off the bar. I followed Dad into an empty room and found him sitting on the couch, alone.

"Want some company?" I asked him as I walked over to him.

"Hey, kiddo. Have a seat." He said to me, shooting a smile at me and I threw myself down next to him.

"Quite a party, huh?" I asked him as I took a sip of the scotch and then passed it to Dad. He took it with a grateful smile and gulped it down.

"I would expect nothing less from your grandparents."

"Pretty flowers."

"Yes. Not at all fake." He joked as he passed the bottle back to me.

"Are you okay, Daddy?" I asked him seriously. He looked over at me as I took another sip of the bottle. He didn't answer me, just motioned for the bottle and I handed back silently. We sat like that for at least ten minutes before Rory came in looking for Dad.

"Dad?" Rory asked as she poked her head around the corner.

"In here, Rory!" I called to her and stood up to leave them alone. Dad squeezed my hand and I smiled down at him reassuringly. I gave Rory a hug as I left the room. I walked straight to the bar and saw Logan talking to the bartender. I wandered over to him and added my order to his.

"And a vodka tonic, please." I said to the bartender, who gave me a flirt grin.

"Good evening, Teek." Logan greeted me with a charming grin but I just glared at him.

"Your best friends an ass." I told him and then I turned to face him and crossed my arms over my chest, eyes narrowing at him. "And you're an ass."

"Why am I an ass?" he asked incredulously.

"Rory." was all I said to him and he sighed loudly.

"What about Ace?" he asked me and I shook my head in disbelief. I turned back to the bar as the bartend came back with our drinks. I took the vodka tonic and gulped it down in one go. I turned on my heel and left Logan alone, watching my walk away with a confused look on his face. I walked out of the reception hall because the noise was getting to me. all the alcohol was giving me a headache, plus I was still hung over from the night before. I was walking aimlessly through the building when I was dragged into another empty room by the waist. I squealed in surprise as I was spun around and pushed up against the door. I gasped as I hit the door softly and looked up into Colin's eyes.

"What are you doing?" I asked him a little breathlessly. I wanted to move about from him but my body wouldn't let me. Colin gulped and touched my cheek gently and I closed my eyes. All I wanted to do was to kiss him senseless. But I couldn't. I couldn't keep doing this.

"I can't do this." I whispered softly, I wasn't even sure I said it out loud until Colin drew back a little to look me in the eyes. I opened my own and I could feel tears brimming, threatening to ruin my makeup by falling. I shook my head and pulled away from him. "I can't do this." I repeated and then I took off out of the room before Colin could say anything. I rounded the corner, crying my eyes out but froze when I heard a commotion in front of me.

"It's none of your business what's going on with Rory." I heard Dad yell at someone and I started walking forward again to see who it was he was arguing with.

"It sure the hell is my business." I heard Luke say and I froze again. Dad and Luke were arguing? That wasn't good.

"Oh, guys, please!" Mom cried out exasperated.

"Rory is my daughter. Mine." Dad said loudly.

"Oh, really? Well then, where the hell were you when she got the chicken pox and would only eat mashed potatoes for a week, or where were you when she graduated high school, or started college? Huh? Who the hell moved her mattress into her dorm, and out of her dorm and back into her dorm again?" Luke asked him, irritated.

"Luke, please. This is not the time." Mom begged her boyfriend.

"Where I was doesn't concern you. Rory is my daughter, and Lorelai's daughter, and that's it." Dad said and I frowned at that.

"Well, I'm with Lorelai!" Luke declared and I heard Dad scoff.

"For now!" Dad said and I walked further so that I could see them.

"What does that mean, for now? What is that, a threat?" Luke asked Dad, taking a step closer to him.

"Lorelai and I belong together. Everyone knows it! I know it, Emily knows it!" Dad said and I grimaced at the hole he had dug for himself.

"What?" Luke asked him in a shout.

"Look, I blew it, okay? I know that I blew it." Dad said and then looked at Mom, his eyes pleading. "You waited, and I didn't come through, and now you're with him. But it's not too late!"

"Chris, don't." Mom demanded softly.

"It's not too late. I know it's not too late. Emily told me it wasn't too late!" Dad said and Luke glared at Mom who looked down at the ground guiltily. "I mean, that's why I'm here, okay? I know you're with him. But it's for now, it's not forever. It's just for now. I know that."

"Luke, I don't know what he's talking about!" Mom told him, pleading with him to understand.

"I got to get out of here." Luke said as he started to walk towards me. I didn't want them to see me eavesdropping so I slipped into a door just besides me.

"Oh, Luke, wait ¯" I heard Mom call as I shut the door behind me. not being able to handle it anymore, I sunk to my knees and out my head in my hands. I kicked off my shoes and cried and cried and cried.


	14. Chapter 14

**Say Something**

I looked in the mirror and saw what I mess I was. My once curly hair was now just in tangles. My lipstick was smudged. My mascara had run down my cheeks leaving black stains but my tears had since dried and I needed them gone. I grabbed some paper towels and wet them under the tap. I was alone in the bathroom at the Windsor Club. After my own confrontation with Colin, witnessing Mom, Dad and Luke's fight and the massive amounts of alcohol, I was both emotionally and physically exhausted. I scrubbed roughly at my cheeks to get the dried mascara off my skin. I pulled the paper away and saw that it was now black and my cheeks were red raw. I took a deep breath and mentally prepared myself to leave the peaceful sanctuary of the bathroom. I straightened my shoulders and plastered on a fake smile that I used at society events. I focused on the clicking of my heels as I walked through the club. I had to focus on something simple or I thought that I might have another break down. Crying wasn't something that I normally did because it made me feel out of control and that's something that I hated. I was heading towards the front doors to the club when I saw Mom and Rory in front of me. I headed over to them to see what was going on with Rory since I hadn't seen her for a couple of hours.

"Hey!" I called out to them once I got into hearing range. They both turned to me and smiled weakly.

"Are you leaving?" Rory asked me as I joined them. I crossed my arms over my chest and sighed.

"Party's over. It is so over." I told them with a sad smile.

"Are you okay?" Mom asked me with a concerned frown. I looked up at my mother and I almost broke down in her arms but then I remembered that she had enough to worry about at the moment.

"Yeah. I'm fine. It's just time to go."

"Are we okay? I mean, that wasn't exactly my proudest moment." Rory asked Mom and now it was my turn to frown in confusion.

"Aw, honey. You're the daughter of a woman who has had no end of less than proud moments. Don't worry." Mom assured with small smile.

"What are you talking about? Did Rory do something naughty? And I missed it!" I exclaimed as I looked between my Mom and my twin sister.

"Luke was so mad." Rory said sadly, thinking that I was kidding when I really did want to know what the hell happened.

"That's because to Luke you're still ten years old wearing feathered angel's wings going door-to-door inviting people to a caterpillar's funeral." Mom told Rory and put her hand on Rory's shoulder to comfort her.

"Oh, now, I did that once."

"Luke is fine."

"I hope so."

"Look, go back in. Catch up with Logan. Tell him everything is fine." Mom said to Rory and my head snapped up at the mention of my best friend.

"He went right to his car, he split."

"I don't blame the boy."

"And what's with you and Grandma?" Rory asked Mom and I scowled at the mention of Emily. How could Emily do that? How could Dad do that?

"All these questions!" Mom said softly, trying to avoid the question.

"Sorry."

"Look. Go back in, huh? Make the best of things. Luke is just, um, bringing the car around. I'll talk to you later."

"Are you sure we're good?"

"Always." Mom assured her with a fake smile.

"'Kay. Bye, Mom. Bye, Christa." Rory said to both of us and I pulled her into a hug.

"Bye, mister." I said to her before she walked back into the club. Mom and I stood in silence for a moment. "I'm sorry about Dad." I said softly.

"It's not your job to apologise for your father, Christa." Mom told me as she closed her eyes.

"I know."

"Man, today sucked." Mom exclaimed and I nodded my head in agreement.

"Guys are stupid. I'm thinking of becoming a lesbian." I told her, only half kidding but she laughed anyway.

* * *

I walked into the Yale cafeteria the next day in comfortable jeans and I throw on t-shirt and ugg boots. I also had on sunglasses because the sun was killing my eyes and I had my hangover to thank for that. I got a bowl of Froot Loops and was heading towards a vacant table so that I could sit by myself when I heard Paris call out to me.

"Christa! Come here!" Paris called out, ordering me over to the table where she and Rory were eating breakfast. I groaned but made my way over to them anyway.

"What, Paris?" I asked, irritably as I stood at the end of the table.

"Hey, Christa." Rory greeted me and I gave her a weak smile in response.

"We have related problems. A little love trouble." Paris told me and my interest in the conversation increased immensely.

"We?" I asked her with a smirk.

"Bend your ears?" Paris asked me and I shrugged.

"Uh, sure." I said as I sat down next to Rory. I slipped off my sunglasses and moaned when the light hurt my eyes.

"Fine, then I'll just lay out my situation." Paris stated and I nodded for her to continue while I ate my Froot Loops. "Okay, so I've got a guy."

"Doyle?" I asked with a knowingly smirk at her.

"Can it. Last time I saw him, he strongly implied that he was going to call me. And soon. It's been four days."

"You ever call him to hook up?" I asked her with a tilt of my head.

"He's always taken the reins."

"What did he say exactly? Call you later, or see you later?" I asked her seriously.

"Call. Or was it see?" Paris said to herself.

"Very different. Call's more descriptive. If he said 'call you later' and he didn't, it's an egregious 'screw you'." I explained to her and Rory, who was listening intently as well.

"I'm pretty sure it was see." Paris decided with a nod.

"Then I think you could cut him some slack. You like him, right?" I asked her.

"Yeah."

"Then call him, but have a reason." I told her with a shrug as I took another mouthful of Froot Loops.

"We're on the paper together."

"Perfect. Call to ask for notes or something. But don't give him anything else. If he's into you, he'll take it from there. If he's not, at least you know, so you can dump him."

"Direct, simple. A clear path. Thank you." Paris said and I shrugged again and gave her a small smile.

"You're welcome." I said to her as I clutched my aching head in my hands. "I'm never drinking again." I muttered to myself. I looked over at Rory, who was glancing at me nervously like she does when she wants to ask me something. "So what's up with you and Logan?"

"Let me ask you something." Rory started, turning in her sit a little to face me. "Okay, I got close to kind of getting together with Logan at the wedding –"

"You mean like 'getting together', getting together?" I interrupted her with a coy smile.

"Yeah. But, we were interrupted. Shouldn't he be calling me to talk, or maybe set up getting together?" she asked me seriously.

"What was the interruption?" I asked her curiously.

"Mom. Then Dad. Then Luke." She told me sadly and my mouth opened in shock.

"Whoa. Poor guy. Okay, you definitely have to call him." I told her after a minute of digesting the news.

"Really?"

"He might be afraid to call. Thinks you're too much drama. You give him a call, but keep it casual." I told her as I finished off my breakfast.

"She's love dense. Give her specific language." Paris ordered me and I nodded in agreement.

"Get together? Or hang out? That's better. Ask him to hang out sometime. It'll give him an easy out. If he says yes, meet up, act casual, but look hot." I told her seriously.

"I've got a pen if you want to write this down." Paris told Rory and I chuckled at her because she was absolutely serious.

"No, I think I can remember. Thank you." Rory said pointedly and then she turned to me. "Thank you for your help."

"No problem." I said as I stood up.

"Where are you going?" Rory asked me with a confused frown. I put my sunglasses back on and held my hand to my head.

"I need a taco." I told her with pout as I walked out of the cafeteria. I moaned at the stupid sun and tried to stick to the shadows. I heard quick footsteps behind me and then a coffee cup appear under my nose. I sighed in delight as I took the cup from the person. I turned around and came face to face with Logan Huntzberger himself.

"You look horrible." He told me with an amused grin and raised an eyebrow at him.

"I heard someone is an exhibitionist." I teased him with coy smile. I sipped my coffee greedily as I watched his smile fade and be replaced with a smirk. I stepped closer to him and stood up my tip toes to whisper in his ear. "You hurt her and I'll hurt you." I threatened him before turning on my heel and continuing to walk the way I was originally going. I heard Logan's footsteps catch up to me and he threw an arm over my shoulders as we walked together.

"What are you doing tonight?" he asked me and I shrugged my shoulders.

"I'm undecided. It's either between going to the pub and getting blind drunk or going out clubbing with Steph and getting blind drunk." I told him and then looked at him out the corner of my eye. "Why?"

"I'm having a poker game tonight. I thought you might want to join. God, knows you're better than most of the guys. Minus myself of course."

"No way. I'm currently avoiding Colin." I told him honestly and Logan frowned down at me. His brown eyes filled with concern.

"Why are you avoiding Colin? I thought you two were seeing each other."

"We were. Now we are not."

"What happened?" he asked me as we sat down at a café just outside the Yale campus.

"I caught feelings." I spat out like they left a bad taste in my mouth. Logan burst out laughing at me and I scowled at him. "Shut up!" I snapped at him but he just kept laughing so hard that he was clutching his stomach so I kicked him in the shin.

"Ow!" he cried as he leant down to clutch his shin. He glowered at me and I smirked back smugly.

"You deserved that."

"Still hurt." He complained childishly as he rubbed his leg. Just then a waitress came over to our table.

"What can I get you today?" the tall red-haired waitress asked, mostly Logan.

"Everything omelette, pancakes, bacon and scrambled eggs. And coffee. Lots of coffee." I ordered and leant back in my chair.

"I'll just have the pancakes and a coffee. Thanks." Logan ordered and the waitress smiled flirtatiously before sauntering off to put our order in. He looked back over at me and gave me a small smile. "About my poker game, Colin isn't going to be there."

"Really?" I asked him hopefully because I really wanted to play poker with the boys.

"Really." He assured me but I saw the tinkle of mischief in his eye. I narrowed my eyes in suspicion but let it go because the waitress came over with our breakfast.

* * *

I walked into Logan's dorm room without knocking later that night. I scoffed to myself when I caught sight of a familiar face at the poker table. I was turning around to leave the same way I came in when Logan saw me and came running to the door and grabbed my wrist to stop me. I glowered at him but he just smirked back at me. Most of the guys at the table glance up when Logan came running. I could feel Colin's gaze on me as Logan tried to pull me into the dorm.

"Uh ah! Nope, you are staying." Logan ordered me and dragged me over to the poker table. I took the seat next to Robert and gave him a kiss on the cheek in greeting.

"I hate you so much." I muttered to Logan when he sat down next to me and he just laughed in response.

"Just shut up and play." Logan ordered me as he passed me a drink. I lift it to me lips and gulped down a sip as I raised an eyebrow at him. An hour later there was a knocked at the door and we all looked at it confused. Most people just walked in during poker night.

"Daniel, get the door." I ordered him without looking up from I'm cards and he got up without question. He walked over to the door and opened it but I couldn't see who it was.

"Hey, who is it?" Logan called out curiously as he looked at his own cards.

"Girl scout." Daniel called back and Logan's face broke out in a real grin and I looked at him curiously.

"Hey, Ace. Come on in." Logan shouted and I snorted and shook my head. I looked up and my eyes met Colin for a moment before I looked back down at my cards. Rory walked into the room and her eyes were round as she took in the room. "Welcome to my night of humiliating defeat." Logan greeted her.

"One in a series." Robert said from next to me.

"Don't gloat, Robert. It's not Christian." I joked with him.

"Neither am I." He replied with smirk.

"Everybody, this is Rory." Logan introduced her and I looked up with a smirk.

"We've met." I teased him.

"Hi." Robert said to her, giving her a once over and smirking appreciatory so I smacked him over the back of the head. He glowered at me and I just smiled back innocently.

"Hey." Colin said to her with a kind smile.

"I'd introduce you, but I only know three of them." Logan said to her before turning back to his cards.

"It's to you, buddy." Colin told Logan.

"Oh, joy. Come on, kiddo, sit here next to me." Logan said to Rory and my head snapped up when he called her 'kiddo'. My gaze met Rory's and I smiled sympathetically.

"Is that allowed?" she asked shyly.

"I wouldn't object." Robert quipped and I glared at him.

"Don't make me hit you again, Robert. You already have so few remaining brain cells." I said to him.

"Come on, be my good luck charm. Did I raise or check?" Logan asked Rory and gave her a half-smile.

"You been eating out of aluminium pans again, buddy?" Colin asked him.

"Your short term memory is non-existent." Robert said and I chuckled grabbed a beer from the mini fridge.

"Yeah, it's aluminium pans." Logan told us and I snorted.

"The more you stall, the slower I win." Robert declared.

"That was almost grammatically correct." I said to him and smirked as I sipped my beer.

"Two." Logan said finally and put in two.

"Call." Colin said when it was his turn.

"Hold up." Logan said to the group and we all sighed because we wanted to end this match. He turned Rory and grinned lazily at her. "You look very nice tonight."

"Oh, thanks." Rory said as she looked down and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.

"What do you know about this game?"

"Um, just what I've seen on T.V. The Odd Couple."

"What?"

"Quincy played it, but he wasn't called Quincy, um, Oscar and Felix. Felix didn't play it. Tony Randall, he cooked for them sometimes."

"I am so lost."

"I know a little."

"Well, if you know anything, you know I need a jack or a ten." Logan said to her and then turned back to the game. I laid down my cards and then so did Robert and we all groan simultaneously.

"Pocket jacks." I sighed in defeat.

"Un-bloody-believable." Logan muttered.

"Do we bother with fifth street?" Robert said smugly as he looked over all our faces.

"Let's see it." I demanded and the dealer laid down the card and we all cried out in disbelief.

"Oh, now you're just mocking me!" Logan shouted at the cards in front of him and I burst out laughing at his bad luck.

"Well, your gal brought someone some luck." Robert commented to Logan and I glared at him again, which he ignored.

"Two g's. Ouch." Colin muttered as he sipped his beer.

"That was two thousand dollars?" Rory exclaimed loudly and we all looked at her oddly.

"Got to bet it to win it." I told her with a shrug.

"Christa, you play like this all the time?" she asked me and I looked at her.

"Yeah, it's just money. I'm an heiress, Rory. Don't tell Mom." I ordered her and Colin laughed at me because he was the only one who knew Lorelai. Rory gave a look but nodded.

"It's just money." Logan agreed with me.

"He's down nine to me from last time. Should I send an I.O.U. to your Pop, that how you want to work it? Cut out the middle man?" Robert mocked Logan.

"Yeah, and I'll send some to your mother." Logan quipped back at him and I chuckled lightly.

"Generic, unfocused 'and-so's-your-mother' style comeback. You're off your game, Huntz." I told him playfully.

"I'll work on a better retort and get back to you." He said to me with a grin in my direction.

"So are you covering this?" Robert asked Rory randomly and I frowned at them as I looked in between them confused.

"Pardon me?" Rory asked me, just as confused as me.

"You were at the last Life and Death shindig, as I recall."

"This isn't a LDB event, you tosser." I said to him with smirk.

"Yeah, but I'm not covering this. I'm just hanging out." Rory told him, a little uncomfortable in the spotlight.

"Yeah, back off, Robert. She's just hanging out." Logan added. A girl brought Colin a drink and smiled at him flirtatiously. I glanced up at them and gritted my teeth together. Logan noticed and sent me a look that I glared at.

"Thanks, kid." Colin said to the girl and the girl nearly preened at the attention.

"Oh, you're welcome." She said coyly as she walked away from the table.

"I love the service here." Colin commented and I gripped my beer bottle tighter until my knuckles were white. The dealer dealt again and I glanced at my cards. I kept my poker face in place, not giving anything away.

"Down to the tricks again." I muttered to myself.

"I'm in." Robert said, throwing in some chips without looking at his cards.

"Don't be a jerk, Robert." Logan told him so he must have noticed to.

"What?" Robert asked innocently.

"You bet without looking at your cards. Look at your cards." I said to him, agreeing with Logan.

"I don't need to, with Rory here." Robert said smugly and threw his arm over the back of Rory's chair.

"I hate it when he does that." I heard Colin mutter but I was more concerned with Robert flirting with my.

"Robert, stop flirting with my sister." I said calmly as I threw in my own bet. Robert glanced at me with a raised eyebrow.

"What are you going to do about it, sweetheart?" he asked me, more out of curiosity than anything else. I glanced at him with an devilish smile.

"You forget that I dated you, Robert." I reminded him and his eyes widened as he remembered what I had on him and he nodded jerkily.

"Ha ha, Robert got in trouble." Colin said in a sing song voice.

"Did you forget what I have on you, Mr McCrae?" I asked him rhetorically with a raised eyebrow. His whole face paled and Logan laughed at him but didn't question me because he knew I had things on him as well.

"You want a drink?" Logan asked Rory, who did been watching the whole interaction quietly.

"Well, actually I don't know how long I'm going to stay here so I think I'm good for now." She answered him.

"All right. Well, the way it's going tonight, I may not last till the next drink either." He said as he tossed some more chips into the pot.

"Can we change the music?" Colin asked as he looked around as if it would change itself on command.

"No." I answered him without looking. I could feel his gaze rest on me and my cheeks heated up immediately.

" Since when did you become Tipper Gore?" he asked me and I smirked at him in amusement.

"Shut up, Colin."

* * *

The next morning we were still playing poker after staying up all night. It was nice just to spend time with the guys. Rory was asleep on the couch behind us.

"Come on, come on." Logan muttered to himself.

"I've made my decision." Robert announced and threw in some chips.

"I'm in. Three fifty." I agreed and threw in my own chips.

"Call." Colin said and added his chips to the pot.

"I'm going to raise." Logan told us.

"Ass." Robert said out loud and I snorted at the understatement.

"Our gentleman's courtesies still prevail, Rob." Colin said mockingly.

"Fine. Mr Ass. Ass Esquire." Robert corrected himself and we all laughed.

"He's cracked! We've cracked Robert!" I declared gleefully.

"Mornin' there, Ace, how'd you sleep?" Logan said to the girl behind me and I turned to look at my twin sister who was just sitting up and squinting because of the sun.

"For the record you don't snore." Colin told her happily.

"We'd be happy to sign an affidavit to that effect for any prospective husband." I added to the teasing. Rory's cell phone rang and she dug in her purse to find it. She brought it out and answered it.

"Mom?" Rory said in greeting and my gaze snapped around to look at her. "Sookie? Are you at the house?" Rory asked and I frowned in confusion. "Oh my God. Is she hurt?" Rory asked and I threw my cards down and went to stand next to her. "I'm coming." She said and then I tapped her shoulder and pointed to myself while nodding. "And so is Christa." She said before hanging up the phone and gathering her things from the couch.

"I'm out." Logan said as he got up from the poker table. Colin looked up and saw the panicked look on my face and put his cards down to. He came and stood next to me and I let him pull me into his arms. I knew that it was stupid of me but I was too worried about Mom to protest.

"You okay?" Colin asked me and Rory. Logan stood next to Rory looking as equally as concerned as Colin did.

"We have to go." Rory said with panic in her voice.

"What happened?" Colin asked her and I wanted to know the answer as well.

"We just have to go, we have to get home." Rory answered him as she moved towards the door. I moved out of Colin's arms and followed Rory towards the door. Colin grabbed my hand but didn't try and stop me.

"To your dorm?" Logan asked her and Rory shook her head.

"Stars Hollow. Oh, no, I don't have my car."

"Well, didn't you walk here, like a hundred yards away?"

"No, I mean I took it in for its six month service. It's at the dealer."

"You take your car to the dealer? They so rip you off there!"

"Well it doesn't matter where it is! I don't have it! Which means that I have to take a bus or a train or something."

"That'll take hours."

"I know. I have to go."

"Take my car."

"I don't want to drive your car."

"No, it's a car with a driver. I've got an account with the company."

"No."

"Take it. I'll give Frank a call, tell him to meet you out front. He'll take good care of you. It's a done deal. Christa knows Frank." Logan told her. Colin and I watched them interact together and caught each other's eye. We smirked at each other knowingly.

"Okay. Thanks."

"Go!" Logan ordered her and then pulled out his phone to call Frank while Rory left through the door. I started to follow her when Colin pulled me back to him and I collided with his chest. He put a hand on each side of my face and kissed me passionately. When he pulled away he kissed my lips again lightly before caressing my cheek, almost lovingly. I stare up into his eyes and he looked down at me, completely oblivious to the others in the room.

"If you need anything, you call me." he ordered me softly. "If Lorelai or Rory needs anything, call, okay?"

"I will." I told him gently before kissing him lightly on the cheek. I left out the front door and tried to ignore the 'oohing' coming from the behind I just left.

"Shut up!" I heard Colin say to the group of guys and I had to smile and touch my lips where I could still feel the tingling sensation.

* * *

Sookie was sitting on the couch when Rory and I rushed into the house.

"Where is she?" we called in unison.

"Upstairs." She answered us and we flew passed her as we headed upstairs.

"Okay, we've got it from here, Sookie. We love you." We called in unison again. Upstairs in Mom bedroom we found Mom lying in bed crying her eyes out.

"Mom? What happened?" Rory asked her.

"Luke." Mom said simply and I sat next to her on the bed.

"What Luke?"

"He's gone! He hates me. I blew it. I blew everything."

"I don't understand. What happened?"

"I should have told him about Christopher." Mom cried and I held her tighter because I had actually witnessed the fight.

"That was innocent."

"But I should have told him. I hid it. I shouldn't have hid it."

"Try to sit up." I ordered her sternly and she sat up, leaning heavily on me.

"She got to him." Mom announced loudly and I looked at her weirdly.

"To Dad? Who did?" I asked her as I shared a glance with Rory.

"Mom. She pushed him and it ruined everything. And now they're putting up ribbons."

"Ribbons? Who?" Rory asked her, confused.

"Taylor, the town. They hate me. They all hate me. I wrecked everything." Mom cried. I hugged her tighter as tears flowed freely down her cheeks.

"Mom. This isn't good. Come on." Rory said to her as she clutched her hand.

"He said he needed time to think, but I pushed him."

"He'll come around." I murmured to her and I smoothed down her hair.

"I pushed him, and now he's gone."

"He waited forever for you. He's not just going to walk away." Rory tried to tell her.

"It's over." Mom said with finality that nearly broke my heart.

"Mom, this isn't you. Lying in bed like this. You should be up."

"You guys should go to school. Go back to school." Mom protested weakly.

"I'm here. I'm staying." My twin and I said in unison.

"God, I really screwed up this time. He could have been the one."

"He'll come around. Shh. Try to sleep." Rory ordered her as we laid her down on the bed and laid down next to her on the bed as she cried into my shoulder. An hour later when I knew that Mom fast asleep, I sat up and motioned for Rory to meet me outside. I climbed out of bed and headed downstairs. I sat on the couch and leant my head back on it. I was really regretting play poker all night with the boys. Rory joined me on the couch and I flopped my head onto her shoulder. She sighed and leaned her head on up of mine.

"Will you be okay here on your own for a while?" I asked her as I sat up. She looked at me questioning but when I didn't make a move to add any more details she nodded slowly. I smiled at her and stood up. I pressed a kiss to her forehead and walked towards the door. "I have my cell if you need me." I told her as I walked out of the house.

* * *

I knocked on the door to the apartment and waited for an answer. I tapped my foot impatiently. I heard someone coming to the door and then a second later a familiar face appeared as the door opened.

"Hey, Christa, what are you doing here?"

"What the hell were you thinking?" I yelled at him as I pushed my way into the apartment. I walked over to the couch and in front of it with my hands on my hips. He sighed and closed the door before coming over and sitting on the couch. I pressed my lips into a hard line and started pacing the length of the room. Every now and then I would glance of at him but didn't say anything yet. I ran my hands through my and took a deep breath to calm myself down. I stopped pacing and turned to face him. "What were you thinking, Dad?" I asked softly as I looked at him. He was sitting on the couch with his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. He finally looked up at me and I could see the tears in his eyes.

"I love her." He admitted to me and I closed my eyes.

"You listened to Emily." I said pointedly and he nodded slowly in confirmation. I shook my head at his stupidity but didn't say anything because I knew that he already knew how stupid it was to listen to her.

"I know. I just…" he started but trailed off, not knowing how to finish the sentence. He looked so lost at that moment so I went over and sat next to him on the couch. I put my arms around him and he leaned into me. He cried into my shoulder and I just held him and rubbed his back until he pulled away, still sniffling. "Have you seen her?" he asked me and I hesitated to answer him. I didn't normally lie to my father but I knew that of I told him the truth about how Mom was doing he would feel guilty and that guilt would eat him alive. Dad looked at my face and I looked away, not meeting his eyes so he frowned at me. "You have seen her." He said as a statement.

"Yeah." I said with a sigh. I turned to look him in eye. "She and Luke broke up. No, actually, Luke broke up with her."

"Damn it." Dad swore as he put his head back in his hands. I rubbed his back again as he groaned to himself. "How is she doing?"

"Pretty bad. Rory's over there now and I was there too before I came to scold you." I told him with a smirk and he chuckled lightly. He smiled at me watery and I tightly smiled back.

"I do love her, Christa."

"I think that there's a difference between loving someone and loving the idea of someone. And I also think there's a difference between loving someone and being in love with someone." I said carefully after thinking over my response. "I know that you love Mom. She was your best friend for years, Dad and that doesn't just go away. You also have two daughters together and that gives you a permanent connection whether you like it or not."

"God, how did you get so wise?" he teased me gently and chuckled. I chuckled with him before turning to look him in the eye.

"If you really do love her, you need to let her go, Dad." I told him truthfully. I really didn't want either of my parents to get hurt and if they kept doing the same thing it would only end badly.

"You know, Einstein said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." Dad quoted to me and I laughed at him. He looked at me like was crazy to because I was laughing at such a serious moment. "What?"

"If that is the definition of insanity, you and Mom belong in a freaking padded room." I explained to him, still giggling at him and soon he joined in with me. Our laughter subsided and we both lay back on the couch. Dad wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pressed a kiss to my forehead. We were both quiet for a minute as we just sat together.

"Does he make her happy?" Dad suddenly asked me softly, sadness tinting his voice. I immediately knew he was talking about Mom and Luke. I craned my head to look him in the eye as I told him the truth.

"Yeah, he does." I told him sincerely and he sighed and kissed my forehead again.

"Damn it." He swore again playfully and I laughed.

* * *

I was lying on my bed reading when I heard a tapping on my window and jumped in surprise. I pressed my hand to my heart in shock as I tried to control my breathing. I glanced at the window and saw a familiar and not entirely unwelcome face. I couldn't help the small smile that spread across my lips when I was him. I got up off the bed and pulled open my window so that he could climb through like he had done many times before.

"What are you doing here, Colin?" I asked him shyly. We hadn't spoken one on one since Emily and Richard's vow renewal.

"I was worried about you." He answered me and I looked up into his eyes looking for dishonesty but all I saw the concern.

"I'm okay." I told him with a shrug as I gave him weak smile. He frowned at me, not believing me and grabbed my hands in his own. He used his thumbs to rub circles on the tops of my hands and leaned into him subconsciously.

"And how's Lorelai?" he asked me and I took a deep breath.

"Luke broke up with her. Emily used her black witchy magic to convince my dad that he and mom belong together. So dad showed up at the wedding and got drunk. Mom, dad and Luke all walked in on Rory and Logan and things kind of escalated from there."

"Your family is weird." He told me with small smile and I laughed and nodded my head in agreement. He cupped one of my cheeks in his hands and I leaned into his touch. "It'll be okay." He assured me and I nodded again. He pressed a kiss to my forehead and I closed my eyes. I wanted so badly to let loose and kiss him. The more time I spent with Colin one on one the more I wanted from him. I normally wasn't relationship girl in the same way that Rory wasn't dating girl but with Colin the thought of a relationship wasn't so horrible. And that scared me. Actually, it terrified me. I shook my head again and backed away from him. He followed me with his eyes, a confused frown on his face.

"We can't do this anymore." I told him as I continued to back away until I hit the wall.

"Why not?" he asked me softly as he took a step closer to me.

"Because I like you, okay? More than I should. I hate that you see other girls and I hate that every guy I'm with, in my mind I'm comparing them to you." I admitted to him. I knew that my voice was filled frustration and pleading. I didn't want him to go down this path. I just wanted him to walk away and leave it alone. Colin came closer to me and tilted his head to the side as he looked at me.

"You like me?" he repeated and I pressed my lips together in a line. I didn't say anything. I just waited. I waited for him to turn around a leave. In my mind I was already planning on going out and getting drunk. When I didn't answer him, Colin stepped closer to me until he could cup my face in his hands. He tilted my head up so that I had to look him in the eye. My breath caught when I saw the mixed emotions in his eyes. They conveyed a mixture of lust, awe, adoration and maybe something that could be described as love. I couldn't take it another minute so I bought his mouth down to mine and kissed him passionately. He responded to the kiss eagerly and lifted me so that my legs wrapped around his waist. I gasped as he pushed me up against the wall. We were both panting deeply as Colin carried me over to the bed and laid us down. Colin was on top of me, peppering kisses down my neck to my collarbone when he suddenly pulled back, making me whimper. He looked me straight in the eye.

"No more seeing other guys, okay?" he said to me seriously and my mouth went dry.

"No more seeing other girls, okay?" I retorted just as seriously.


	15. Chapter 15

**Jews & Chinese Food**

"When are you coming home? I'm bored." I complained into the phone. I was lying on my bed attempting to finish a paper due for my business class.

"I'll be home before you know it." Colin informed to me with a laugh through the phone. I sighed softly and rolled over onto my back to look up at the ceiling. I thought occurred to me and smirked to myself. I sighed again dramatically.

"I'm just so lonely." I told him, my voice hinting seductively.

"That's not fair." He groaned and I smiled coyly to myself.

"What's not fair is you leaving me here alone. My bed is cold." I complained with a pout that he couldn't see. "But I'm so, so hot."

"Teek…." Colin moaned and I smiled happily to myself. "Why are doing this to me?"

"Maybe you'll think hard before going off gallivanting with Logan and Finn again anytime soon." I told him with a smirk.

"Oh, I definitely will. Maybe the next trip should be just you and me." Colin said suggestively and I grinned.

"But where would we go?" I asked innocently. He chuckled at me and I could picture the smirk on his face.

"Somewhere that you have to wear a bikini." He told me and I laughed out loud but nodded in agreement.

"Only if you agree to rub sun tan lotion on my back." I said coyly and he groaned again. I laughed at him and was about to say something else when I heard chattering in the main room. I frowned in confusion and hopped off the bed. I walked over to the bedroom door and opened it inch. Mom, Paris and Doyle were standing near the front door to the door.

"Although we're having sex three or four times a week, so apparently the sexual aspects of our relationship are crystal freaking clear." I heard Paris explained to my mother and I grimaced because I didn't want to know the aspects of Paris and Doyle's sex life.

"Paris, I beg you." Doyle begged her from his spot on the couch.

"Is Rory or Christa here? 'Cause I could wait outside, or –"Mom said uncomfortably.

"I'm making you uncomfortable." Paris stated of obvious.

"Yes." Doyle answered her and Paris turned to him and glowered.

"Her. Not you." Paris snapped at him and stepped back into my room and shut the door. I backed over to the bed and sat end on the end of the bed and sighed.

"I have to go save my mother from Paris and Doyle." I explained to Colin with a defeated sigh.

"Poor Lorelai. Better go save her from the interrogation." Colin agreed with a laugh.

"I'll talk to you later." I told him.

"Call me if you get bored." He responded before I hung up the phone.

"Christa! Are you here?" I heard Mom call loudly and I smirked to myself as I went to my closet to find a jacket that matched my outfit.

"Yeah, I'm just getting my coat!" I called back to her.

"Ah! Can I watch?" she pleaded and I laughed to myself.

"Oh, is Paris out there?" I asked innocently even though I knew the answer.

"She sure is."

"Come on in." I told her as I slipped on my high heels. Mom practically came running into my room then and I chuckled at her as I walked over to the vanity mirror to fix my lipstick.

"Sorry, I thought she and Doyle were indisposed." I apologised with a grimace.

"No, no, plenty of disposal going on. So I notice you told Paris about my breakup." Mom said pointedly and I held up my hands in surrender.

"Ah. I'm sorry, I didn't tell her, that was Rory. To be fair, it's very difficult to keep anything from Paris. It's very close proximity and I swear she has a dog's ears."

"That's fine."

"She didn't mean to blab." I defended my twin sister.

"I know. But, hey, don't worry about me. Things are starting to look up." She said happily as she held up a flier. "They think I'm a student."

"And they also think you're Polynesian and potentially sexually undecided." I pointed out with a laugh after I looked at the paper in her hand.

"Yeah. Well, still an improvement." She said with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Okay. Ready." I told her as I grabbed my red coat of the back of the desk chair.

"This was a good idea, having dinner."

"Well, it is Friday night."

"Yeah, but Friday night dinner without Ava and Adolf. Lovely."

"It's really not fair calling Grandpa Adolf!" I argued with a frown.

"No, no, that was Grandma." She rushed to reassure me and I nodded in understanding.

"Oh. That's okay then." I said as I linked my arm with hers and we walked back into the common room where Paris was sitting on the couch and Doyle was eating Rory's chips near the fridge. "We're going." I announced to them as we walked pass them towards the door.

"Listen, Lorelai? If you decide that your breakup is something that you want to talk about, please let me know." Paris said from her spot on the couch and I raised my eyebrows in surprise.

"Okay, Paris." Mom said doubtfully.

"And let me know before Tuesday, because I'm doing a paper for my Emotional Mental Health class about how women of a certain age cope with loneliness, and I think you'd be a great lead-off antidote." Paris continued and Mom stood there stunned. She turned and gave me a look but I shook my head.

"You can't take her. She's trained in Krav Maga." I told her with a pout and she frowned unhappily.

"Damn it." She swore and I laughed as we walked out the door.

* * *

We met up with Rory just outside the Yale cafeteria and walked in together. After getting out trays of food, we were looking for a place to sit down and eat.

"Okay, so where do the cool kids sit?" Mom asked us as we looked for a spot.

"Where ever I'm sitting." I joked with a smile.

"This is Yale. There are no cool tables." Rory pointed out and I playfully nudged her for raining on my parade.

"Oh, come on. Point out the cliques. The geeks. The stoners. The Plastics. Give me the scoop." Mom begged us and I laughed at her.

"The scoop is that this is Yale. There are no cliques, we are beyond cliques." I informed her loftily.

"So you get to college, and everybody just loves each other?" she asked sceptically.

"Yes." Rory and I said in unison.

"It's Haight Ashbury all over again." Mom quipped and I raised an eyebrow at her.

"Except the tie-dye is done by Prada." I pointed out with a chuckle.

"Okay." Mom said as we approached a vacant table and we both started to sit down when Rory stopped us.

"Hey, not that one." Rory said to us and we paused but shrug and move to find another table.

"See, that was the clique table." Mom said and I shook my head in amusement.

"No, it's under an air vent." Rory explained and I snorted at her as we sat down at the next table.

"Seriously, Grandma, buy a shawl." I said to her as I bit into my food.

"Hey, one good cold can set you back a month in studying." Rory defended herself.

"Mmm. See, in my mind, I heard 'partying', but okay."

"Here's to our very own special Friday night dinner." Mom said to break up our bantering as she raised her glasses.

"Hear, hear." We all said together as we clinked out glasses against each other's.

"This stuff looks pretty good." Mom said as she took a bit of food.

"It is. So what's going on at home?" Rory said Mom and I listened intently as I ate my dinner. Mom gasped melodramatically at the question and leant forward in her sit.

"Big grapefruit shortage. The hurricanes wiped them out and Taylor is completely freaking out." Mom told us with a devilish smile on her lips and I laughed at the thought of Taylor freaking out.

"I'm sure."

"And Patty and Babette are organizing Stars Hollow's first botox party."

"Are you invited?" I teased her with a playfully smile.

"Are you insinuating I should be?" she asked in mock offence but was smiling back at me.

"So the Hollow's low on grapefruits." Rory interrupted whatever I was about to say.

"Uh-huh. And I'm doing costumes for the Stars Hollow Elementary School production of Fiddler on the Roof." Mom told us and I perked up at that.

"Do you need any help?" I asked her because I loved making and designing clothing.

"Sure, if you have time, babe." She answered me and I clapped my hands together gleefully.

"So, how are you doing?" Rory asked her hesitantly and I immediately knew that she was talking about the break up.

"I'm doing fine." Mom answered her with a fake happy smile.

"How are you doing?" I repeated Rory's question sternly and Mom sighed and looked from me to Rory and back again.

"I'm doing fine. I swear. I'm getting better." She assured us with a small real smile.

"No word from Luke?" Rory asked her and I wrapped an arm through Mom as we continued to eat.

"Not waiting on word from Luke." Mom told us with sigh and I frowned in sympathy.

"Okay." I said to her as I rubbed her arm.

"Anyhow, I'm fine. I mean, not that I'm over it, but little by little it's getting easier to pretend it's easier, which means easier must be right around the corner."

"I'm sure it is." Rory agreed with her.

"And I'm working on getting down a new routine. I've settled on Weston's in the morning." Mom informed us brightly and I smiled.

"Decent coffee, excellent strudel." Rory said with a nod.

"Yeah. So, that's me. How are you guys?" she asked us, looking between us.

"I'm actually dating Colin now. It's not that different than what we were doing. Expect that we don't sleep with other people." I informed them with shrug and Mom chuckled at me. Rory already knew all of this because we lived together.

"Are you happy?" Mom asked me seriously and I thought it for a second before I broke out in a smile.

"Yeah, I am." I said seriously, still grinning like an idiot. Mom nudged my shoulder playfully and I giggled.

"What have you been doing, Rory?" Mom asked her.

"Hmm, well, I study, and then study, then after a little study break, I study." Rory told us with a shrug and I rolled my eyes at her.

"Uh-huh. How's, um, Logan?" Mom asked her, probably wanting to hear the gossip.

"He's been out of town for a while so I haven't seen him."

"Colin's with him. They're male bonding." I explained, using my fingers to highlight 'male bonding'.

"And that doesn't worry you? Most male bonding usually involves strippers, alcohol or gambling." Mom said to me and I laughed out loud.

"I told him that I didn't care as long as he didn't cheat." I answered her with a shrug and they both stared at me for a second, before Mom blinked and Rory shook herself off.

"Hmm. And what else?" Mom prodded Rory, trying to get off my unconventional outlook so I smirked to myself.

"Mm." Rory murmured pensively, not looking Mom in the eye and Mom and I shared a look.

"What?" I asked her with a frown.

"I got an e-mail from Dad." Rory admitted abruptly and it was my turn to look away.

"Oh, you did? Huh. When?" Mom asked her, surprised that Dad had contacted Rory.

"Monday." Rory told her, still a little guilty.

"Only two weeks after the fact. Very speedy."

"I'm sure he was just nervous." I tried to defend Dad.

"You know, you don't need to hide that from me." Mom told Rory.

"Well, I wasn't sure if you wanted to hear about it, or hear Dad's name –" Rory tried to explain her reasoning.

"Hey, it's part of the whole 'moving on' thing, right? So what did he say?" Mom asked her curiously.

"He wanted to give me his side of the story."

"Oh, well. Unless his side of the story includes having his long-lost evil twin lock him in the closet and come to the wedding in his place, his side of the story doesn't exist." Mom said defiantly, her voice dripping with venom and I looked away from them feeling a little guilty because I had still been talking to Dad nearly everything day. I looked down at my empty tray and stood up from my seat.

"Okay, if you guys are going to starting bashing Dad, I'm going to go." I told them with a smile.

"No, sweetie, I'm sorry. Don't go." Mom apologised and I smiled at her.

"It's okay. Really. What Dad did was wrong. I know that. I'll talk to you later." I said to Mom and Rory as I gave them each a kiss on the cheek.

"Bye, babe." Mom said sadly as I walked away from them. I decided to get a cup of coffee before I went to finish my essay. I smiled to myself as I approached the coffee kiosk. A familiar figure was standing in line so I practically ran up to them. I tapped him on the shoulder and he jumped in surprise as he turned around. I giggled a little at his shocked expression.

"Hey, Marty. Now that's a manly sized cup of coffee." I said in greeting as I smiled widely at my friend. I hadn't seen a lot of him lately and he missed him. Last year, Marty, Rory and I had gotten close.

"Uh, yeah. I, uh, I worked late, and I had a paper and I didn't get a lot of sleep –"he stuttered as he looked at me. I titled my head to the side in confusion. Marty wasn't usually so fidgety towards me.

"Marty, you never have to apologize for a huge cup of coffee to me." I reminded him with a smile as I got my own cup of coffee.

"Right. I know." He said shortly as he turned around and started walking away. I frowned and quickly followed him. I fell in step with him and sipped my coffee leisurely.

"So you've been pretty busy lately, huh?" I asked him, trying to dig up information as to why he hadn't been around so much lately.

"Uh, yes."

"Working a lot?"

"Yes."

"Studying a lot?"

"Yes."

"So that's probably why I haven't seen you very much." I said matter-of-factly and he glanced at me from the corner of his eye.

"Yes. Probably." He answered me and I nodded slowly as I contemplated what to say next.

"I missed you. A lot." I blurted out and pulled him to a stop. I looked up at him sincerely and he looked away.

"Well, I'm sure you've been a little busy yourself."

"I guess. Hey listen, are you working this weekend?" I asked hopefully, looking at him with pleading eyes. I placed my hand on his arm to stop him from running.

"Uh, no."

"Great, because I was thinking. It's been ages since we've had a good hangout night. Just you, me and Rory. " I said brightly with a grin.

"Oh, well –"he started to protest, shaking his head at me.

"We could watch DVD's, order food. Oh, I just got the new Marx Brothers box set. You love the Marx Brothers, Duck Soup!" I exclaimed happily as I clapped my hands together.

"I don't know if I can –"Marty started to say again but I cut him off.

"Did you hear me? I just said Duck Soup."

"Christa –"

"We could watch them all. You know, start early. Make a major marathon thing out of it. Just us. We haven't done this in a long time. Please?" I begged with puppy dog eyes and my hands clasped in front of me.

"Okay. Sounds good." He finally relented and I grinned at him.

"Really? Oh, great!" I exclaimed and then threw my arms around him to give him a hug. "Okay, so on Saturday? Three-ish?" I asked after a pulled back.

"Three-ish it is." He agreed and I clapped my hands gleefully which made him laugh at my exuberance.

"Excellent. Really. Okay, I have to get back to my essay, and you have a lot of coffee to drink. So I'll see you Saturday." I said to him as I started walking away from him backwards.

"See you Saturday." He said with a smile and I grinned back before turning on my heel and heading for my dorm room to finish my essay.

* * *

When I told Rory about our movie date with Marty was extremely excited because she had missed him to. Rory had decided to decorate the common room in Marx Brothers posters and to actually dress up for the event, which I thought was ridiculous. I was sitting on the couch texting Colin as Rory frantically tried to organise the room.

**Colin: what are you doing tonight?**

**Christa: I'm having a movie night with Rory and Marty. **

**Colin: Marty's the bartender, right? **

**Christa: yep. He's also my friend. **

**Colin: I didn't say anything. **

**Christa: I know you. **

**Colin: If he's friends with you he must be okay. **

**Christa: Nice save. I'll text you later. X**

**Colin: Make it dirty. X**

I giggled at Colin's last message and looked up at Rory, who was still running around the dorm.

"You're going overboard." I told her with an eye roll as I watched her run around putting the food out from my spot on the couch.

"Do you think we have enough food?" she asked me, ignoring my comment. I looked at all the different kinds of pretzels that Rory had chosen and looked back at her incredulously.

"We have enough food to feed King Kong." I said to her slowly. There was a knock at the door and Rory jumped in surprise, making me laugh at her. She pulled a face at me and I held up my hands innocently. Rory walked over to open the door wearing a curly white wig and a top hat. She opened the door to reveal Marty standing there holding a tray of hors d'oeuvres.

"What's up, Doc?" Rory said brightly in greeting and I frowned at her.

"What's up Doc?" Marty repeated, just as confused as I was.

"Well, Harpo doesn't talk, so there's no catch phrase." She explained to him.

"Well, then, do Groucho." I told her from the couch and she looked back at me with a frown.

"Everybody does Groucho." She said matter-of-factly and then turned back to Marty with a bright smile. "Come in!"

"I like what you've done with the place." Marty commented as he entered the room and caught sight of the Marx brother's posters around the room.

"Well, it's all about the vibe. What'd you bring?" I asked him as I leaned forward, trying to peek into the tray.

"Just some leftovers from the Cartina engagement party." He said to me but I smiled widely anyway.

"I told you I would take care of the food." Rory said to him as she gestured to the pretzels.

"And I see you did."

"We nothing say no to food." I said with a grin as I reached for the tray.

"Pretzels of the world. San Francisco sourdough, German pumpernickel, chocolate covered Swiss, and the wasabi bites are very intriguing. I also ordered a pizza before you got here." Rory explained to Marty as she pointed out which was which.

"Okay, well, at least we got the food part covered." Marty said to us and I nodded in agreement.

"Yes, we do. Sit, sit, sit." I ordered him as I patted the seat next to me. Rory sat on one side of the couch and Marty sat hesitantly in the middle while I stayed on the opposite side to Rory. Rory pulled her wig off and we sat there awkward for a moment. I glanced over at Marty and noticed that he kept stealing glances at Rory from the corner of his eye. I almost gasped audibly as I realised why he hadn't been around a lot recently. It was because Marty liked Rory.

"I guess we should start the movie." I said to them, trying to break the awkward tension in the air.

"Okay." Rory said as she got up and got the remote. She pressed a button and the television lit up. We sat there awkwardly trying to watch the movie but all I could concentrate on was the awkwardness. "Wasabi nugget?" Rory offered Marty. She must have been able to feel the tension as well.

"Thanks." He replied as he grabbed a handful without looking. He shoved them in his mouth and immediately, a horrified look crossed his face.

"You in a little bit of pain there?" Rory asked him in concern and I grimaced in sympathy.

"Uh-huh. Much, much more than a little!" Marty said, his voice muffled because his mouth was full.

"Well, don't worry! Your mouth will get numb in about a minute." I told him cheerfully.

"I'm really looking forward to that."

"How about a soda?" Rory asked, kindly as she got up off the couch.

"That would be terrific, thanks." He answered gratefully around a mouthful of wasabi nuggets. Rory quickly rushed over to the fridge as Paris came storming out of her room. Paris ran around the dorm putting things in an overnight bag.

"Oh, thank you very much for kicking my undefined sexual male partner out of the room that we share." Paris said to Rory spitefully and I frowned in confusion.

"Christa and I had company coming, Paris." Rory informed her as she turned around to face the blonde.

"You insulted him, you demeaned him. You mad him feel unwelcome." Paris spat at her and I held my hand up like a school child.

"Hold up. Rory, you kicked Doyle out? Finally!" I cheered a little but stopped when Paris glared at me. I leaned into Marty's shoulder, trying to disappear.

"He was unwelcome." Rory told Paris, taking the attention off of me.

"And now, thanks to you, he refuses to come back here which means I have to spend the night over at his place with his three roommates! The place is a health violation. Things grow on the windowsill without the help of pots or soil and there is the faint aroma of sweat socks and starter cologne lingering in the air at all times, and yes! I have to bring my own toilet paper over there because it is a third world country. Thank you! Very, very much!" Paris ranted before turning on her heel and storming out of the dorm. Rory came back over to the couch and handed Marty the soda in her hands.

"God, I missed this place." He commented making both me and Rory chuckle as we leaned back in the couch. Rory, Marty and I were watching the movie together on the couch later in the night. Marty and I appeared to have gotten much more comfortable around each other as the night went on. Rory and I both had our legs thrown over Marty's lap since he was in the middle.

"I am going to say something that will upset possibly everyone in the entire world." Marty said, not taking his eyes off the screen. I looked up at that and shared a look with Rory.

"Wow." Rory muttered.

"The whole world?" I asked in disbelief.

"I thought the I Love Lucy episode with Harpo Marx was lame." Marty announced and I gasped and pushed his shoulder playfully.

"Get out." Rory commented after a gasp of her own.

"There's no way Harpo even for a second would have believed he was looking in a mirror. And the last time they made that 'popping up from behind the partition' move, Lucy was totally slower than him." Marty explained and I just shook my head at him.

"You've carried this with you for a very long time."

"I mean, we had to believe a lot during those Hollywood shows. Dori Shary just happened to be hanging out in their pool. And I'm sorry, I was totally with Lucy when Ricky took those women to the premiere of his movie. What an ass." Marty continued to rant and I giggled into his shoulder.

"You've got to stop watching I Love Lucy." I told him with a smile. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

"Oh, man, I hope that's Paris. Maybe she and Doyle had a fight. That would be great." Marty said gleefully and I laughed in agreement. Rory rolled her eyes at us and got up to open the door.

"There's so much darkness under this bosom buddies exterior of yours." She commented and then opened the door to reveal Logan.

"Hello stranger." The blonde greeted Rory with charming grin.

"Hi. You're back." Rory said happily and I watched as Marty's face fell. I gripped his hand in sympathy and he looked over at me. I smiled weakly at him and squeezed his hand.

"Just rolled in." Logan told her.

"So, how was it? Was it fun?"

"No, very dull. Let's not talk about it. We're all going to China Palace for food. Grab your coat, let's go." he said to her and nodded his head in the direction of the door.

"Oh, um. I can't."

"What? Sure you can. Come on. I missed you, let me buy you a fortune cookie."

"Thank for the invite." I called out sarcastically from the couch and I heard Logan chuckle.

"Hey, Teek. I didn't see you there. I thought that Colin would have texted you." He explained to me in a shout and I shrugged even though he couldn't see me.

"He did. I told him I already had plans for the night." I informed him loftily.

"We kind of have company." Rory said to him.

"Really, anyone I know?" Logan asked and then looked over Rory's shoulder at me and Marty on the couch. Marty went to stand up so I pulled my kegs of him and stood up as well. "Hey, Marty, good to see you. Teek." He greeted us with a smile.

"Uh, yeah. You too." Marty stuttered nervously.

"Well, you come too. The more the merrier." Logan said to us and I rolled my eyes at his testosterone attitude.

"Oh, well –" Rory started to say but Logan cut her off.

"Come on, Marty. If you're going to be hanging with Ace and Teek like this, it's time I get to know you without a waiter's uniform on. And I'm sure Colin would love to as well. Let's go. Car's waiting outside." He said before turning and leaving the dorm. Rory turned around to face us.

"We do not have to go." Rory said to Marty.

"But you want to." Marty stated knowingly.

"No. Well, I mean, if you do. But you don't, so forget it."

"Uh, it's cool. Let's go."

"Really? Are you sure? Because you don't look sure."

"Sure. I'm sure. Car's waiting outside."

"Okay. But if we get bored, or if Dori Shary happens to be there then we bail."

"Deal."

"Okay, I'll get my coat." Rory said with a smile and then left the room to get it. Marty took a deep breath and I rubbed his arm comfortingly.

"You can do this." I assured him with a smile and he smiled back weakly.

* * *

"Colin!" I called out happily as I got out of the car and saw him. He turned around at the sound of my voice and a huge grin spread across his lips. He met me halfway and picked me up in his arms to twirl me as we kissed as if we hadn't seen each other in years instead of days. I giggled as he put me back down on the ground. He leant his forehead against mine and kissed me again gently.

"God, it's only been a few days." I heard someone complain, most likely Finn since they had an accent. I pulled back to glare at him.

"We are still in the honeymoon phase." I told them pointedly and they laughed at me. As we all filed into the restaurant, Colin kept his arm around my shoulders and I wrapped an arm around his waist. When we sat down I noticed that Juliet, Rosemary, Rory and I were the only girls at the dinner and I made a mental note to call Steph later. As we ate, we were all laughing and talking about the boys trip.

"I swear, I thought he was never going to wake up." Logan joked about Colin and I chuckled because I knew how hard it was to wake a hungover Colin.

"If I knew the hangover was going to last that long I wouldn't have." Colin added with smile.

"There's nothing like a 'you wouldn't believe how drunk I was' story to get the girls all hot." I commented with and eye roll but smiled anyway.

"It always worked before." Colin said slyly and pulled me into a quick kiss.

"Oh, God, the smell of this food is making me ill." Juliet commented as she pushed her plate away.

"Mmm, I think it's delicious." Rory said as she took another bite of the Chinese food.

"How can you eat like that? I see Christa eat like that all the time too." Juliet asked her and Rory just shrugged.

"Juliet hasn't eaten a meal since 1994." I informed Rory, who looked confused.

"My metabolism simply doesn't accept food." Juliet told us and I snorted at her in amusement.

"Yes, that must be it. A modern medical miracle. May I?" Logan asked as he poured some of his beer into Rory's glass because Rory was still under 21. I took a sip of my vodka that Rory thought was lemonade. She didn't have a fake ID but I did. I got my first when I was 16.

"Sure. Hey, Marty, do you want some beer?" Rory asked her friend.

"Here you go, man. I got you." Logan said before pouring some beer into Marty's cup.

"Thanks." Marty said he took a sip.

"Rosemary's going home with me tonight. I just thought everyone at this table should know." Finn randomly announced to the table and I shot a disbelieving look at Rosemary.

"Oh, Finn, you do hallucinate." Rosemary retorted with a roll of her eyes.

"Are you going to eat that fried shrimp?" Juliet asked Rory and I raised an eyebrow at her.

"I think I am." My twin answered in confusion.

"Oh, God, can I watch?" Juliet moaned and I rolled my eyes at her.

"Juliet, just eat something!" I ordered my friend.

"No! I am not eating until I get married to some gorgeous but very poor man who will sign an iron-clad pre-nup and get very, very fat, but he won't ever leave me because he would be cut off without a penny and die in a trailer park."

"My God, that is brilliant." Finn said in awe and I stifled a giggle at her plan.

"That is sick." Rosemary said and I nodded in agreement.

"I agree with anything Rosemary says tonight." The Australian said loudly.

"Not going home with you, Finn." Rose said and shot me a look because I was the only one who knew the real reason that rose wouldn't go home Finn. We were the only people who knew that our friend Steph actually really like Finn. Rose was too good a friend to sleep with the guy Steph liked. Colin started playing with my fingers as I ate and I smiled at him. I glanced over and noticed Logan twirling Rory's hair in his fingers and smiled inwardly.

"You know where they had the best Chinese food in the world? This tiny little place outside of Zugerberg." Colin said to us and I looked over at him with a smile.

"Aw, Zugerberg." Logan muttered longingly.

"The golden days of Zugerberg." Finn added.

"What's Zugerberg?" Marty asked them curiously.

"Zugerberg is the boarding school I went to in Switzerland." Colin informed him politely and I was happy that Colin wasn't being an ass to my friend.

"Really?" Rory asked excitedly.

"Yep. Grade seven through twelve."

"Wow. Living in Switzerland? That sounds exciting."

"Oh! Can we go to Switzerland for our trip?" I asked him excitedly and put my hands together in a begging motion.

"But you can't wear a bikini there." Colin pointed out to me and I waved away his concern.

"They have hot tubs." I reminded him with a wave of my hand. I pouted and leaned in closer. "They also have skiing and snowboarding and late nights in front of the roaring fire and really good chocolate." I leaned really close to his ear to whisper so that the others wouldn't hear. "Imagine what we could do with chocolate."

"I'll think about it." He relented with a groan and I clapped happily.

"You guys are going on a trip?" Logan asked us once we were finished our private conversation.

"Yes. Alone." I answered pointedly and he smiled and held up his hands in surrender.

"Boarding school. Man, that must've sucked." Marty said, bring us back to the previous conversation.

"Sucked? Are you kidding? Those are the greatest days of my life. Oh my God, the partying that went on there. Insane." Colin told him with a fond smile as he remembered and I chuckled to because I also had some good times at boarding school.

"I did a year at Andover. Not bad." I added to the conversation.

"So you didn't miss your home, your family?" Marty asked and I smiled despite myself because I knew Colin and Logan's families.

"My family? Did I miss my family? Logan, did I miss my family?" Colin asked his best friend as he leaned back a put his arms on the back of my seat.

"Huh, let's see. Which mom were you on then?" Logan asked him with a chuckled.

"I believe it was the blonde."

"Ah, yes."

"Her name was Helena." I reminded them and they turned to look at me with incredulous looks because I didn't know them then. I shrugged my shoulders and looked innocent. "I actually listen when your father talks." I said to Colin as I kissed his cheek.

"She was hot." Finn added and I smirked at him.

"You didn't know her, Finn." Colin pointed out.

"All your mothers have been hot, Colin."

"Ingrid was the hottest." I said to them and they all looked at me with wide eyes again. I shrugged my shoulders again and took a sip of my vodka.

"No, Marty, I didn't miss my family." Colin finished politely and Logan and Finn laughed, thinking he was mocking Marty so I glared at them. When we finished eating, we spent some time just talking.

"Okay, the night's young. Where are we going next?" Logan asked all of us.

"I don't think I can move." Rory commented from her chair and I patted in arm in sympathy.

"You're full?" Juliet asked her.

"I'm full." Rory confirmed to her.

"Is it fabulous?"

"You know, Juliet, it doesn't suck."

"Let's go to the Alligator Lounge." Finn suggested and I grimaced at the thought.

"Yes. Perfect. Zydeco music. You'll love this place." Logan said to Rory and I tried to catch her gaze so that I could subtly shake my head.

"Well, I –" Rory said hesitantly and she looked over at Marty. Logan followed her gaze to him and smiled slightly.

"What do you say, Marty? You up for a little Cajun craziness?" Logan asked him.

"Uh, I –" Marty started to say. I got up off my seat and leant down to Colin.

"I'm just going to the bathroom. I'll be back." I told him before kissing him lightly and leaving the table. I came back five minutes later see that Rory and Marty were both gone form the table. I looked around for them in confusion as I got closer to the others.

"Hey, there you are." Colin said to me when I made my way over to them. I smiled back at him and kissed his cheek.

"Hi. Where's Rory and Marty?" I asked them and Logan and Colin shared a look. I narrowed my eyes and chest my arms over my chest. I looked pointedly at Colin and Logan. "What'd you do?"

"I didn't do anything." Logan protested as he held up his hands and Colin glared at him. They both looked back at Juliet, who was looking down at her shoes.

"What happened?" I asked sharply and they both looked back at me guiltily.

"Marty may or may not have been offended by a comment made by an unnamed person." Colin told me and I raised an eyebrow at his explanation.

"Was that unnamed person either of you?" I asked them waving my hand between Colin and Logan.

"No." they both said at the same time and I glanced at their faces to see if they were telling the truth. Seeing that they were, I slumped my shoulder and nodded.

"Okay. I'm not really in the mood for Zydeco music, so you guys go without me." I told them with a tight smile.

"Are you sure?" Logan asked me and I nodded my head.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Colin asked in concern and I genuinely smiled at him.

"No, I'm fine." I assured him before taking his hand in mine. "Walk me out?"

"Yeah." He answered as he wrapped an arm around my shoulder. We left the others behind as we left the restaurant and walked out into the cold night air. We stopped out in front the restaurant and Colin signalled down a taxi for me. As a taxi pulled to a stop in front of us, I pulled Colin towards me and kissed him passionately.

"Good night." I whispered into his mouth and he kissed me again until I was breathless.

* * *

**Christa: Finn tried to hook up with Rose tonight.**

**Steph: That bitch! Wait, did she do anything?**

**Christa: No haha.**

**Steph: Oops! God, I'm hopeless.**

**Christa: I thought that. Now look at me. In an actual relationship. **

**Steph: Yeah true. I didn't see that one coming. **

I was lying on my bed texting Steph when there was a knock on my window. I put my phone and frown as I got up to check it out. I pulled up the blinds and smiled when I saw Colin on the other side of the window. I opened the window and he crawled in like he had done so many times before.

"Hey." He said in greeting once he's inside the room.

"Hey." I replied as I stepped closer to him and kissed him deeply.

"That move always seems cooler in the movies." He told me, nodding towards the window and I chuckled.

"No, I think you manoeuvre your way through a window quite gracefully." I teased him, kissing him lightly.

"Thank you." He said with a smile. I gripped his shirt and walked us backwards slowly.

"So, how was the Zydeco music?" I asked him as we got to the bed and laid down.

"Ah, I left when Finn jumped in on vocals."

"Excellent self-preservational instinct." I told him with a laugh.

"I just wanted to make sure you got home okay." He told me and I laughed an unbelieved laugh at that statement.

"Oh, yeah, I got home okay." I said to him playfully as I ran my hand down his chest to the bottom of his shirt.

"So I see." He said, giving me a once over. I pulled his shirt off over his head and he peppered kisses on my neck.

"Thanks for the concern, I appreciate it." I said breathlessly.

"It wasn't all concern." He admitted as he slipped my shirt off.

"Oh, really?" I asked coyly before kissing him greedily on the mouth. His hands found my hips and mine were tangled in his hair. I moaned as he undid my jeans and nibbled on my earlobe. We didn't talk anymore after that and I ended up falling asleep in the arms of my boyfriend feeling safe and cared for in ways I never had before.


	16. Chapter 16

**So…Good Talk:**

I was lying on my back on Colin's bed watching him pack for his skiing trip. I sighed sadly and rolled over onto my stomach. Colin turned to look at me and grinned when I pouted at him. He walked over to me and sat next to me on the bed.

"Don't look so sad. I'll see you soon, Teek." He said to me as I sat up next to him. I put an arm around his shoulders and straddled him.

"I know that. But I'm still going to miss you." I told him honestly as he put his hands on my hips to help me balance. I leaned down and pressed a kiss to his neck.

"I'm going to miss you too." He agreed and I moved up to kiss his lips hungrily.

"I can't believe you're going skiing for Spring Break. What is wrong with you?" I asked him teasingly as I nibbled his earlobe.

"What's wrong with skiing? I thought you wanted to go to Switzerland on our trip?"

"Spring Break is meant to be about beaches. Cabo! Florida!" I exclaimed unbelievingly. "It's a stereotype for a reason."

"Beaches for Spring Break?" he asked me incredulously and I raised an eyebrow at him. "Talk about overrated."

"You still owe me that trip but now I'm thinking Maui, not Switzerland." I informed him and he grinned and nodded in agreement.

"I'm okay with that. Beaches equal bikinis."

"For me or you?" I asked jokingly and he just kissed me after shaking his head at my sense of humour. We made out for a bit before I stood up suddenly. "What the hell?" Colin asked, confused as I moved towards the door. I looked back over at him still on the bed and gave him a saucy grin.

"That was just something to remind you what you have to lose if you do something or someone stupid on your trip." I told him gleefully as I skipped out of the room. I laughed to myself when I heard him groan behind me. I was nearly to the front door of Colin and Finn's dorm when I squealed in surprise because someone grabbed me around the waist. I giggled as Colin kissed the back of my neck and dragged me backwards towards the bedroom.

* * *

Rory and I had decided to stay in Stars Hollow with Mom for the weekend. Since Logan and Colin were both off skiing, Rory and I had the weekend free. We walked in the front door and I chuckled at Rory, who was carrying numerous bags of laundry. She was bringing them home to wash them because she was low on money. I had offered her some cash but she only said that she needed to do this on her own.

"Hello!" I called out to Mom as we entered the house.

"Kitchen!" I heard Mom answer me and I headed in that direction with Rory following me more slowly.

"Ow! Rat bastard!" Rory cried when she tripped on one of the bags and I laughed at her but then tried to cover it up when she glared at me.

"Are you okay?" Mom asked in concern from the kitchen. I continued to the kitchen while Rory tried to untangle herself from the laundry bags. I entered the kitchen and ran at Mom. She pulled me into a hug and before I could greet her, Rory called out from the hallway.

"Give me a hand!" Rory asked us loudly. Mom and I started clapping at the same time and grinned at each other. Rory entered the kitchen, dragging several large laundry bags behind her. "Okay, Bob Hope's laughing in heaven, but I'm not."

"Bob Hope got into heaven?" I asked them with a frown.

"Please grab a bag." Rory pleaded with us and Mom went over to help her while I sat down at the table.

"This cannot all be laundry." Mom stated unbelievingly and I smirked at her.

"It's all laundry." I told him with a chuckle.

"The machine's fixed, right?" Rory asked her, ignoring our exchange.

"Yes, humming like new. Which one's the rat bastard?" Mom asked her as she looked over the bags.

"That one." Rory told her as she pointed at a bag in front of her.

"Take that! And that!" Mom exclaimed as she kicked the bag Rory pointed to over and over again. I laughed at her and clapped my hands gleefully.

"Okay, he's had enough! I want to get a load going before I go to Grandma's." Rory said to her as she picked up a bag. She walked out the back door and just as I was about to say something to Mom, she came back into the kitchen. "Hey, you're using it!" she exclaimed to Mom.

"Yes, I know." Mom said with a nod.

"Well, but I had dibs."

"No, you didn't call dibs."

"I'm a college student coming home on Spring Break. That implies dibs on the washer and drier."

"I'm a college student coming home on Spring Break and I don't have the Mt Rushmore of laundry bags." I pointed out to her and she smiled at me before frowning at Mom again.

"There are no implied dibs in dibs. If you don't call it, you don't get it." Mom told her pointedly. Rory just huffed in frustration and went back outside.

"Well, this is just wrong!" Rory exclaimed from outside and I frowned in curiosity.

"What?" I asked her as I stood up and went to the cupboard to see if we had any food. Rory came back into the kitchen and glared at Mom.

"You're washing two socks!" she huffed at Mom.

"Well, they were dirty." Mom explained matter-of-factly and I snorted in amusement. Having not found anything in the cupboard I sat back down at the table with a pout.

"That's wasteful." I scolded Mom playfully.

"I really wanted to wear them tonight." Mom defended herself with a shrug of her shoulders.

"They are your dancing Santa Claus socks. You're not going to wear those for another ten months." Rory pointed out and I giggled at her naivety of our mother's quirkiness.

"No, I can wear them eccentrically any time I want!"

"Well, then one of you is going to have to put one of my loads I while I'm gone." Rory told us and I glanced up at her where she stood near the back door.

"And risk a hernia?" I asked her rhetorically as I raised an eyebrow and Mom nodded in agreement.

"I'll never finish otherwise!"

"I'll do two loads. How's that?" Mom compromised with her and Rory thought it over for a second.

"Thank you. All right, I've got to take off." Rory said as she reached for her purse.

"Okay. Drive safe, and you've got gas, right?" Mom asked her in concern.

"Yeah, I've got gas." Rory assured her as she paused at the entrance to kitchen.

"Okay. Enough gas to get to Hartford?"

"I think so. Why?"

"Oh, well, because I've got a twenty – ah! A twenty! On the fridge, here! Look! Oh, here it is. I'm not going to use it. You should use it for gas." Mom said as she gestured to the fridge and pulled off a twenty dollar bill while I laughed at her obviousness.

"Is it that obvious I'm broke?" Rory asked and Mom and I shared a glance at each.

"Yes." I told her honestly and smiled when she glared at me.

"Well, you mentioned the minutes on your cell phone, a hint of panic in your voice, and now the months of saved up laundry." Mom said to her knowingly.

"Well, there are just no good jobs at Yale right now, and I'd take anything. Trust me." Rory told us with a sigh.

"Well, I took the liberty of asking around town for you. Made you sound all pathetic and ragged. And there are a few temporary things you could take. You are very in demand in Stars Hollow."

"Like what?"

"Well, the radio station needs someone to drive up the hill a couple of times a day and shoo the cows away from the transmitter."

"I'm not good with livestock."

"Well, the road crew needs a part-time 'Slow Down' sign holder-upper. You get to wear a helmet."

"I don't think so." Rory answered with a grimace.

"I saved the best for last. Andrew needs help doing inventory at the bookstore. I think that's probably your best bet."

"That sounds great, actually."

"Cool, just give him a ring."

"Thanks." Rory said to Mom and then went and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Now I just need to borrow some clothes to wear to Grandma's."

"You're in clothes." I pointed out to her with a smirk.

"Well, she'll insist I take my jacket off and I'm down to my 'Give Bush a Wedgie' t-shirt." Rory explained and I stood up so fast the chair I was sitting on fell backwards. I gasped in excitement and held my hands together in a begging motion.

"Please wear that to Grandma's!" I pleaded with her gleefully and Mom giggled and joined in my begging.

"I'm going to borrow some clothes." Rory said to me, pointedly ignoring my request.

"There's another twenty in it for you!" Mom told her. She was equally as excited as I was to see how Emily would react.

"Start one of my loads." Rory told us as she made her way to the basement door that led to my apartment.

"Forty if you snap a picture of her seeing it!" I called out to her and Mom nodded even though Rory couldn't see us.

"Finish your socks!" Rory shouted back at us and Mom and I collapsed into the giggles. I wiped the tears out of my eyes and turned back to Mom.

"So, what are we doing tonight?" I asked her excitedly.

"Girls night. You, me and Sookie. Apparently, I'm pathetic." She told me with a sigh and I patted her arm in mock sympathy.

"Just a little bit." I told her and then giggled when she slapped my arm.

* * *

Later that night, I practically ran out of the house towards Sookie's car and Mom followed me more slowly after locking the front door behind her. I had talked Mom into letting me choose her outfit and do her hair for girls night out and she kept anxiously touching her hair self-consciously. I grinned at her as I opened the car door and climbed in the backseat. She smirked back at me and hopped into the front passenger seat.

"Oh, I am so hot. I'm going to hit on myself tonight." I exclaimed playfully once all three of us were securely in the car.

"You look nice." Sookie complimented me and I smiled back at her.

"So do you, your hair is so fancy."

"And I'm ready to let it down!" the pregnant woman squealed happily and I clapped my hands gleefully.

"So, what town are we painting first?" Mom asked us with a grin of her own. Sookie and I turned back to her and we shrugged in unison.

"Oh, well, it's your big night out, so anywhere you want!" Sookie told her best friend.

"Okay. How about dancing?"

"Yes, dancing!" I exclaimed happily from the backseat.

"Dancing! Yes!" Sookie agreed with me and clapped her hands together. She turned the car on and the radio started quietly. "Now, of course I can't really dance 'cause my ankles are completely swollen, and, uh, my stomach's a bit of a hindrance on the dance floor. But I can watch you dance."

"No, that's okay. Let's do something else!" Mom suggested, feeling sympathetic to her friend.

"But you want to go dancing!"

"No, we'll do whatever."

"Like what?"

"We can go to a bar, hang out and talk." I said to them, getting antsy about just sitting there.

"Sounds perfect! Of course, I tend to get a little depressed when I'm in a room full of people drinking and I can't have a cocktail! You know, did I tell you I'm having a recurring dream lately, about a magic pina colada? With whip cream, and a ton of rum, and a talking little paper umbrella!" Sookie told us and I frowned my brow half in confusion, half amusement at my mother's eccentric friend.

"If you're having dreams like that, you don't need a cocktail! How about a movie?" Mom asked us and I nodded in agreement. I wasn't used to hanging out with a pregnant woman and I was feeling my enthusiasm for the night shrinking by the second.

"I have to get up to pee every five minutes. But, we can sit on an aisle near the back and you can fill me in on what I missed!"

"Sookie. Why don't we just stay home?" Mom suggested with sigh. She turned off the car engine and I pouted but knew that Sookie really wasn't up to a night on the town.

"No! We're hitting the town!" Sookie protested and I smiled a little at her determination.

"Not tonight."

"We have to. I can't let you become this spinster on the couch."

"We can go inside and order in pizza." I told her gently.

"You need to go out, and see things, and do things!" Sookie said to Mom, determined more than ever to get a newly single Lorelai out of the house.

"I have 'A Star is Born'. All three versions. We can compare and contrast performances and dosages!" Mom suggested brightly and my interest perked up again.

"That sounds like fun!" I said to Sookie with a nudge.

"It is my responsibility as your best friend to make sure you go do exciting things even when you don't want to." Sookie said firmly as if reciting from a book.

"Hanging out with you and Christa is exciting!" Mom told her happily and smiled at both of us.

"It is?" I asked doubtfully from the backseat and Mom mock-glared at me.

"And with pepperoni and some extra cheese – look out."

"I am getting kind of hungry!" Sookie muttered.

"Well, sure, all this partying will do that to you." I joked with her and she smiled at me.

"Can we watch the Streisand 'A Star is Born' first? I really love that scene where she chews on Kris Kristofferson's lip!" Sookie asked us.

"Yeah!" Mom and I agreed at the same time and Sookie giggled at us as we climbed out of the car. I linked my arm threw Sookie's and Mom's and we walked back into the house together.

* * *

After watching the movies in the living room, Sookie decided to treat us to dessert at Weston's Bakery in town. The three of us were sitting at a table in the middle of the deserted café.

"See, now, this is perfect." Mom exclaimed as she bit into a piece of pie and I mumbled an agreement around a mouthful of chocolate cake.

"It's not a nightclub, but it's a place she never goes. Different and exciting." Sookie said happily and I couldn't help but smile at her bubbly personality.

"And chocolaty." I added after swallowing my mouthful of cake.

"Are you having fun?" Sookie asked mom and I tilted my head curiously, wanting to know the answer as well.

"Oh, not missing the couch a bit." Mom told her with a smirk.

"Hi, Lorelai. Wow, twice in one day, huh?" the waiter asked as he walked past our table. We all looked up at him as he spoke.

"Hi, Frankie. Yeah, well, gotta have some pie, you know." Mom said with a chuckle and then glanced at Sookie, who was looking at her in disbelief. "Well, I haven't memorized the menu yet." mom defended herself weakly.

"You come here?" Sookie asked her.

"You know, just once a day."

"Unbelievable"

"Well, I have to go somewhere in the mornings."

"I didn't want to take you somewhere you always go!"

"I had a great time tonight, and I appreciate your concern. And I promise, I am not going to become a couch potato spinster woman."

"Okay, the minute this comes out, you and I are going away for a weekend. Just the two of us." Sookie said while gesturing to her swollen pregnant belly.

"Absolutely, except for the fact that you'll have a newborn baby at home, that's a perfect plan." I mocked them with a giggle.

"Why are you being mean?" mom asked me as she playfully slapped my arm. I pouted and crossed my arms over my chest as I leaned back in my seat.

"I didn't invite me." I explained jokingly and they chuckled at my childish behaviour. The bell above the door rang and we all turned to see Rory entering the bakery.

"Hello, ladies!" my twin greeted us as she walked over to us and sat down on one of the vacant seats.

"Hello, twin of mine." I acknowledged her and gave her a one armed hug.

"Hi, kid. How'd you know we'd be here?" Mom asked her curiously and Rory just shrugged.

"What do you mean? You're always here. Hey, Sookie." Rory said to the other woman at the table.

"Hey, egghead. Do you want some pie?" Sookie offered her a plate.

"Oh, I never say no to pie." Rory replied as she picked up a fork and started shovelling it in.

"So how was dinner?" Mom asked her.

"Loud."

"Meaning?" I asked her, confused by her answer.

"There was yelling."

"Why, what happened?"

"I just got so mad. She was acting like nothing was wrong. Like it was totally normal that Mom wasn't there. And I couldn't take it." She explained to us and I patted her hand in sympathy.

"I understand." Mom said emphatically.

"I understand too." Sookie said in a tired voice as she leaned on her hand.

"Are you getting sleepy, there, Sookie?" I asked her, the amusement evident in my voice.

"No, I'm fine. Just a little past my bedtime is all. Keep talking."

"I left during shortcake." Rory continued with her story.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Mom said to her.

"Hey, Grandma did this. You didn't."

"I know. I just hate that you're fighting with them."

"Don't worry about it." Rory said to Mom and then looked over at a sleeping Sookie. "She's sleeping."

"Yeah, well, we partied pretty hard tonight." I informed her with a smirk.

"Should we wake her up?"

"Nah, we'll wait a minute." Mom answered her and smiled at her friend in clear affection.

"Mom. Christa." Rory said and then gestured to the empty table next to ours. "Can you –"

"What?" Mom asked curiously as the three of us moved over to the table Rory indicated to.

"Something wrong?" I asked her and then paused for a second. "Is it about Grandma?" I asked but she stayed silent. "Do I have to ask eighteen more of these?"

"You know how, with Dean, things didn't exactly go the way I planned?" Rory asked us and mom and I shared a look.

"You mean with you and him getting together?" mom asked her warily.

"No, I mean, yes, that too. But I promised you that I would come to you and talk to you or at least one of you when I thought I was ready to - but I didn't, um, because it all happened so fast and I didn't get a chance and then everything got so messed up, and then after, it was weird. The situation was weird, and I didn't feel comfortable coming to talk to you about anything concerning us at all –" Rory said in a rant, not taking a breath.

"You can always talk to me. Even when it's weird." Mom told her and I nodded in agreement.

"Even when it's weird, you're still my twin sister." I added to mom's statement.

"I know. I want to. I want to go back to talking about everything. Just like before Dean."

"I second that motion." Mom said and raised her hand.

"The motion has been seconded. Motion passes!" I finished with a grin and raised my hand as well.

"So I thought I would come talk to you now about Logan." Rory said to us and I nodded while mom looked surprised.

"Oh. Okay." Mom said in a shocked voice.

"I want to tell you now, so you hear it from me, right when it's… starting."

"Right when it's starting? Oh. Got it. So, the two of you are starting something, huh?"

"From what I hear, you already started something." I said with a knowing smirk on my face. Logan had told Colin who had informed me. Logan had also called me to ask my advice on some date ideas for Rory and I had interrogated him about it until he broke.

"Yes. We have definitely started something." Rory agreed with me and I smiled at her.

"Started! Oh, you have already started something. Wow. Okay, fast." Mom exclaimed and I gave her a little sympathetic smile because I knew that this was a little weird for her.

"I know, but he's so great. I mean, you've seen him. He's beautiful, and really smart. Smarter than me, I swear. And he's … great."

"Yes, he seems great." Mom agreed in a small voice and I hid a smile behind my coffee cup.

"He's my best friend. You don't need to sell him on me." I reminded her with a chuckle.

"And we have a lot in common, which is good." Rory continued to gush about Logan.

"Very good." Mom agreed in a monotone.

"The paper, and Yale of course, and he's extremely well-read. And I know Logan's rich, and I know you don't really –"

"No, no. Rory, I don't care if he's rich. If you like him –"

"I do. I really like him."

"And he's treating you well."

"He is. I'm having fun. A lot of fun."

"Okay, well. If he's that important to you, I should probably, you know, meet him again, under different circumstances." Mom said and I had to laugh out loud at the reminder of their fast meeting when mom walked in on Rory and Logan making out.

"Right."

"Everything all buttoned and zipped." I quipped with a giggle and Rory glared me and mom chuckled but nodded in agreement.

"You will, I promise."

"Good, that's good." Mom said slowly.

"Anyhow, I just wanted you to know."

"Okay, so. Good talk."

"Yeah?"

"Absolutely." Mom agreed and then sighed loudly. "Man, I feel like I should buy you a shot."

"How about a rum ball?" I suggested as a compromise.

"Three rum balls, coming up." Mom said and Rory and I smiled as she got up to get the rum balls.

* * *

The next day I went to the bookstore where Rory was working. When I walked in I saw Rory sitting on the ground surrounded by piles of books.

"How's the inventory coming?" I asked my twin with a smile as I sat down next to her, avoiding a tower of books.

"Perfect. I have a great system going." She informed me and then pointed at a pile to her right. "This is my 'to be written down' pile, my 'already written down' pile, and this is my pile of books that I have seen and now have to buy."

"That's a big pile." I commented as I looked at the last pile she pointed to.

"Yep."

"Bigger than the other two piles."

"Yep."

"This job must be costing you a fortune." I said with a smirk and she nodded at me.

" Yep." Rory agreed with me, finally looking up at from where she was writing on the inventory. The bell above the door rang as it opened and in entered Lane, carrying a bag of food from Luke's.

"Soup's on!" Lane said happily and I clapped my hands and held them out for her to put the bag in.

"Oh, thank God. I am starving. I have been dreaming about Luke's cheeseburgers for a month." I said to her, practically salivating at the thought. I took out a burger and handed one to Rory before taken one for myself. I unwrapped it with a smile and bit into it. I nearly gagged as the horrid taste filled my mouth. "Oh, my God. What is that thing?"

"Sorry. I should have warned you."

"This is disgusting! This is from Luke's?" I asked her as I threw the burger onto the bag she had brought them in. I snatched the other burger out of Rory's hand and shook my head when she protested. "It's for your own safety." I informed her sincerely.

"Yeah, he's been a little off his game lately."

"Off his game? It's like Tiger Woods made this thing."

"Luke's been in a mood."

"And he's taking it out on the cheeseburgers?" Rory asked with a frown of confusion.

"It's been awful. Everything's either been burnt or dropped. He's absolutely miserable. He just mopes and growls and stomps around. He throws customers out the door. I'm assuming his mood might have something to do with a certain someone who's been spending a lot of her time at Weston's lately." Lane told us knowingly with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh, poor, sad Luke." Rory and I said in unison.

"Poor, sad tips." Lane added with a pout and I giggled at our friend.

" Listen, I have to get something to eat. You want to run over to Al's with me? I asked her as Rory turned back to her work.

"Can't. If Luke's left alone too long, he might burn the place down."

"Well, how about tonight? You want to do something?" Rory asked her, not looking up from her work and I smirked at her attitude.

"I would love to, but Zach is cooking me dinner." Lane informed us with a lovingly smile on her face.

"Really? Oh, it's so sweet." I said as my heart melted a little bit for my friend.

"It is, isn't it?"

"It's so nice that you have Zach." Rory added but I thought I heard a little bitterness in her tone.

"I know, it's like having a perfect haircut every single day."

"My God, that is beautiful." I said, in awe of her outlook.

"I'll call you later?" she said to both of us and I smiled at her while Rory waved dismissively.

"Okay. Thanks for the concept of lunch." I thanked her with a wink.

"Anytime." Lane said and then got up to leave. I glanced over at Rory and saw her add another book to her to buy pile. I slapped her hand disapprovingly and she looked over at me innocently.

"This job was a great idea." My twin said to me with a smile and I just shook my head at her playfully.

* * *

The next day Lane and I went back to the bookstore to 'help' Rory. Lane was lying on her back on the floor and I was sitting next to Rory, while she was working on her inventory.

"I can't believe it. I just cannot believe it!" Lane exclaimed for the tenth time and I rolled my eyes at my friend.

"It's okay." I said to her again soothingly.

"How did this happen? I started listening to rock music when I was seven years old. I snuck makeup on at school. I managed to join a band without anyone knowing. I had a boyfriend who my mother thought was a Christian guitarist. And I ate spicy condiments like they were going out of style." Lane ranted to us and I just sat and listened to her.

"Lane." Rory said to her but Lane kept going.

"I drank soda, ate hamburgers, wore jewellery, I danced."

"Not very well." Rory commented, not looking up from her work and I giggled at the comment.

"Hey, any skill level's a sin. And then I moved out and I lived with two guys. I mean, nothing else stuck. Nothing. So why this?"

"It's a mystery." I said to her.

"Why couldn't the gluten-free thing stick? I could've lived with that. Or the not dancing thing. Oh, you should have seen Zach's face, it was like…"

"Like he realized he wasn't going to have sex with you until the wedding night." I suggested with a smirk, interrupting her rant.

"Yes! Exactly. God, this blows!" she cried loudly and Rory finally looked up from her work with a sigh.

"A lot of people wait until they're married to have sex." Rory reminded her softly.

"Yes. Jessica Simpson and Donna from 90210." I said with scoff but then smiled apologetically at Lane when I remembered that that wouldn't be helpful.

"And a couple of others." Rory added pointedly, nudging me.

"Oh, my God, what if I never get married?" Lane asked us rhetorically.

"You'll get married." I assured her.

"If I never get married then I'll never have sex."

"You'll get married, you'll have sex." Rory told her and I nodded.

"That's easy for you to say. You've already had sex with two different guys. All within a one year period." Lane said to Rory and I chuckled but stopped when Lane turned to me accusingly. "And you! God, knows how many you've slept with!"

"Okay, you're making me sound a little slutty." Rory said, a little offended.

"I am slutty." I said with a shrug and then remembered that I was in a relationship. "Was. I was slutty."

"Well, why shouldn't you be slutty? You have absolutely no mother-taught morals standing in the way of you and your sluttiness." Lane said to us and I smirked at the comment.

"Oh. Well, when you put it that way." Rory said, rolling her eyes.

"Is it great?" Lane asked us seriously.

"Is what great?" Rory asked in confusion.

"Sex! Is it great?"

"Not in front of the books, Lane."

"It's pretty great." I told her honestly.

"What am I saying? It's great. And I will never experience it because by the time I'm ready to get married all the men will have been taken by women who didn't grow up in my household!" Lane exclaimed loudly as she stood up and put on her coat.

"Going out to find a husband?" I joked as I watched her.

"I have to get extra trash bags for the diner." She explained to me.

"All right. Call me later." Rory said to her and she nodded as she walked out of the bookstore.

* * *

I was sitting on my bed later that night, sketching some new designs on my bed when my cell phone rang. I picked it up and smiled when I saw the caller ID.

"Hello, handsome." I greeted the person on the other end of the phone call.

"Hi, beautiful. How are you?" Colin asked me and I chuckled lightly.

"I'm okay."

"What have you been doing in Stars Hollow?"

"I went to girl's night with my mom and Sookie. It was boring." I admitted with a laugh. "Let's see, Rory got a job at a bookstore and I've been busy annoying her. my friend lane called me a slut." I said jokingly.

"Well, that's kind of true." He replied in a teasing manners and I gasped playfully.

"You're one to talk, man-whore."

"Guess we found each other."

"Guess we did. So how's the outing in the woods going?" I asked him curiously as I rolled over onto my stomach.

"It was going fine until Finn decided to go through one of his naked phases." Colin told me and I laughed out loud at his unluckiness.

"Yikes. Now I'm glad I didn't go."

"Yeah. Suddenly the cabin seemed very small."

"I bet."

"Plus it got boring, and there's too many people there I know, so I decided to cut my skiing trip short."

"Yeah? Where are you now?" I asked him curiously.

"Yale." He told me and I could hear the smirk in his voice. I felt my eyes widen and I bit my bottom lip.

"What?"

"Yep. Seems like I got the whole place to myself, too. Well, Logan is here. I think he missed Rory."

"I bet. Everybody's gone for spring break. And that's so cute. My best friend and my twin sister." I said mockingly.

"You know it's nice like this. Very quiet. Lots of privacy. It's too bad you're not here."

"And why is that?" I asked knowingly.

"I just think you'd like it." He answered slyly and I rolled my eyes at his attempt to tempt me back to school.

"Well, take me a picture." I said teasingly, a smirk playing on my lips.

"You know if, by chance, you decided to cut your spring break short, you could be here with me to see it yourself."

"Oh, really?"

"Just a suggestion, Teek."

"Well, I'll think about it." I answered evasively, already knowing that I was heading back to Yale to spend time with my boyfriend.


	17. Chapter 17

**Pulp Friction: **

Logan, Rory, Colin and I were all walked together through the Yale campus one evening after a double date to the theatre. Logan had his arm wrapped around Rory's waist while Colin and I walked arm in arm next to them.

"So, judging from the snoring I'm guessing you two love the theatre." Rory said sarcastically to Logan and Colin, while I giggled at Colin's grimace.

"That was not a snore. That was a groan." Logan corrected her with a smile.

"It was not a painful play." My twin argued with him and I laughed at her outlook because I agreed with the boys about the play. Halfway through the first act I had dragged Colin out of the theatre and we made out in the bathroom until intermission.

"Any play is a painful play for me."

"Well, that's too bad, because you're going to miss out on some wonderful things." I told the boys, defending my twin.

"Yeah, like what?" Colin asked me playful as he pressed a kiss to my temple.

"Our Mom took me to see Caroline, or Change in New York, Tony Kushner's musical, and it was the most amazing thing we ever saw. Tony Kushner wrote Angels in America." Rory answered for me and I laughed at the memory.

"I know who Tony Kushner is." Logan told her, a little offended that she thought he didn't. I rolled my eyes at them because I knew where this was going.

"So you've seen his plays?"

"No, my Mom plays Canasta with him every month he's in town." Logan informed her and she stopped walking in shock. We all stopped as well a few feet in front of her and waited with raised eyebrows.

"Tony Kushner plays Canasta with your mother?"

"Badly, but yes."

"Seriously?"

"Oh, yeah. Tony really sucks at Canasta but he's pretty good at Poker." I informed them with a waved of my hand. Rory turned to look at me in shock and I looked back in amusement.

"You play Canasta and Poker with Tony Kushner?" she asked me and I shrugged my shoulders as the boys chuckled at Rory's excitement.

"Sure, Shira and Amanda invited me a few times. Amanda is Colin's current step-mother."

"She won't last." Colin added in amusement and I turned to him with a confused frown.

"I thought you liked Mandy?" I asked him ignoring Logan and Rory's gazes that were on us as we started walking again.

"I do. That's how I know it won't last." He said with a smirk and I chuckled as I linked my arm back through his.

"You have a magical life! And you don't even know it." Rory exclaimed as we walked through the abandoned campus courtyard.

"So, where to next?" Colin asked us.

"Oh, I don't know. Mah Jongg with Mamet?" Rory suggested drily and we all chuckled.

"How does ice cream sound?" Logan asked her instead.

"Ice cream sounds great." She replied with a smile.

"Then ice cream it is." Colin said as he grabbed my and Logan caught hold of Rory's. the two boys pulled us towards one of the buildings.

"Whoa, Logan! Where are we going? Slow down." Rory insisted as we ran in our heels behind them.

"Slow down and you die, Ace." Logan replied as we neared the buildings doorway and I noticed that it was the cafeteria.

"Yeah, you go too fast in heels and you kind of die also." I commented as we came to a stop in front of the door. Colin and I looked around to make sure no one was around as Logan pulled out a key and opened the door. Logan dragged Rory into the dining hall and Colin and I followed behind them, chuckling at Rory's perplexed expression.

"What are we doing?" Rory asked us as she looked around the darkened room like someone was going to walk in and catch us at any Moment.

"We're getting ice cream." Logan replied matter-of-factly.

"But the dining hall's closed. We're breaking in."

"That's a very negative way of looking at it." I said to her cheekily and she shot me a glare over her shoulder.

"How do you have a key to the dining hall?" Rory asked Logan as we walked further into the dining hall.

"I know a lot of very powerful locksmiths." Logan informed her and Colin and I laughed as we remembered some of the times we had used Logan's connection to break into places we weren't supposed to be.

"Well, what happens if we get caught? Could we get suspended? They can't kick you out of school for this, can they?"

"Hey, relax. Look around. For tonight this is all ours." Colin said in a calm voice as he held his arms out wide to indicate the entire hall.

"It is kind of cool." Rory admitted and I ran up to her and hugged her to my side.

"Wait till you see the kitchen." I mock-whispered to her and she giggled.

"Whoa! Oh, I've never seen the cereal completely full before. I'm never here early enough! I knew they had Cocoa Puffs." Rory said as she saw the full cereal dispensers.

"Go crazy, Ace." Logan told her from where he stood next to her.

"No, we're getting ice cream."

"There's no rule that says you can't have ice cream and cereal. Go on, get your Cocoa Puffs." Colin told her as he got a bowl of Froot Loops for himself and then passed me an empty bowl so that I could do the same.

"First Cocoa Puffs of the day. This is a historic Moment." Rory said with a giggle as she grabbed a bowl and filled to up with Cocoa Puffs. I filled my own bowl and then moved back to stand next to Colin.

"Open up." Colin ordered me and I gave him a confused look but complied anyway. He aimed a single Froot Loop towards my mouth but it missed and hit my cheek. I gasped playfully and he had the decency to look sorry. I laughed and opened my mouth so that he could try again. He aimed again and this time it went straight into my mouth. We both cheered as I chewed and jumped into Colin's open arms. He swung me around as we both laughed. Colin put me back on my feet and kissed me soundly.

"Okay. Next stop, ice cream." Logan said, interrupting Colin and my making out. Rory nodded her agreement as Colin and I parted and turned back to them. "What are you doing?" he asked Rory as she looked around for something and Colin and I watched her in confusion as well.

"I'm looking for the swipe machine so I can deduct points from my meal plan." Rory informed us.

"You're kidding, right?" I asked her with a scoff.

"Well, the school pays for the food."

"Trust me. With all the money my family has donated to this school, they can afford to be out of a few Cocoa Puffs. Let's go." Logan told her and grabbed her hand to pull her towards the kitchen where they kept the ice cream.

"This is fun." Rory said with a grin and I laughed at her.

"You should hang out with us more, Rory. this is nothing." I informed her as Colin and I walked passed her and Logan.

"You're an easy girl to please." Logan added and then pulled her into a kiss. I smirked at my twin and sister and best friend and couldn't help but feel that they were perfect together.

"Let's hit the kitchen." Colin said as the other couple broke apart. Giggling, I pulled Colin towards the kitchen door with me. Logan and Rory started following us but as soon as they neared the door to the kitchen, Rory turned back to the cereal station and left a dollar on top of the Cocoa Puffs.

"Ace, come on!"

"Rory!"

"Come on!" we all said at the same time to her as we waited near the door.

"I'm coming!" she called back as she ran to catch up with us. I giggled at her as we all walked into the kitchen.

* * *

I was driving home to Stars Hollow for the weekend because I had missed going the weekend before with Rory. Colin and I had finally gone away on our trip to alone. We had ultimately chose Hawaii after hours of debating which location would be best. I wanted to go somewhere romantic and all Colin's wanted was somewhere that required a bikini. My cell phone rang when I was ten minutes outside of town and I answered it without checking the caller ID, thinking that it would be Colin calling to complain about me leaving again since he had been going on about it all day. The thought of him being so anxious about me leaving gave me butterflies in my stomach and I had to grin.

"There is no way you can be missing me already. I just left you alone in your bed." I said into the phone and my comment so meet with laughter.

"Not sure what that's about and I'm not entirely sure I want to know." My mother replied and I bit my lip in embarrassment.

"Sorry, Mom. I thought you would be Colin."

"Aw, I bet he's missing you already." She replied and I could hear the laughter still in her voice. She had been so much happier since she and Luke had gotten back together.

"Well, I'm just that sexy."

"You get that from me. Hey, how would you feel about doing a little shopping tomorrow?" she asked me and I chuckled at the change of subject.

"Hurt. Confused. A little dirty." I joked with her.

"I need to get a new getting-back-together-with-Luke dress for my back-together-with-Luke date."

"Oh, where do you want to go?" I asked seriously because I knew how important clothing was to a date.

"How about the new place where you got the scarf with the bows on it?"

"Oh, yes, cute place." I stated knowing exactly what she was talking about.

"I want to go to the cute place." Mom said excitedly and I laughed at her enthusiasm.

"Ten o'clock? Rory's staying in Stars Hollow tonight as well, right? She can come with us."

"I'll be the one holding coffee. So, uh, what is Rory doing tonight?" Mom asked me cheekily.

"Mom." I said warningly but the amusement was evident in my tone.

"What? Where is she going?"

"You know where she's going, Mom." I pointed out, not playing along with her because I felt bad for my twin sister.

"Disneyland?" Mom guessed mistakenly on purpose.

"Nope."

"Puppy world?"

"You're so immature. You're going to make me say it?" I asked her with a laugh.

"Say what?" she asked in fake innocence.

"She is on her way to Friday night dinner." I answered honestly with a sigh.

"Ah-ha-ha! That's right. She's on the road to Hellville." Mom taunted Rory even though she wasn't here.

"Do not gloat."

"I'm not gloating. I'm gloating with hand gestures."

"Bye."

"And a little soft shoe."

"Got to go."

"Oh, Christa, wait. I'm gloating with jazz hands."

"Bye, Mom." I said before hanging up the phone and shaking my head with a smile at my mother's antics.

* * *

**Rory POV:**

I rang the doorbell at grandma and grandpa's and waited for someone to come and answer it impatiently. It wasn't that I was impatient to get inside but I was carrying a heavy duffle bag full of Yale Daily News addition that had articles written by Christa and I. a minute after I rang the doorbell, it open to reveal grandpa. He smiled when he saw me and I smiled graced my lips as well. He noticed the bag in my hands and grabbed it from me.

"My goodness! The bag is bigger than you are." He exclaimed as he took it from me and led me inside the huge house. I sighed in relief as the pressure was alleviated.

"I brought you some recent issues of the Yale Daily News. We've been doing some really good articles lately." I informed him with a small smile as we walked deeper into the house.

"And some with a by-line or two that I might be familiar with, I hope?"

"I believe that, yes, you'll find some highlighted sections in your hymnals." I said as I kissed his cheek in greeting.

"Sorry to keep everybody waiting." Grandma apologised as she came around the corner and saw me and grandpa.

"Uh, luckily we had plenty to read." Grandpa joked as he showed her the bag of newspapers.

"Hello, Rory." she greeted me and I smiled politely back at her. I loved her dearly but I was still a little angry over what she had done to Mom and Luke. I knew that Christa was still outraged at her for manipulating dad and Mom and Luke as well.

"Hello, Grandma."

"Let's go in the living room, shall we?"

"Excellent idea." Grandpa agreed and I nodded my ascent.

"Pardon me, Mrs. Gilmore. Shall I put the salads out now, ma'am?" the new maid asked as she came into the room.

"We haven't had drinks yet, Olympia." Grandma told her tersely.

"Yes, ma'am."

"I wrote it all down on the refrigerator pad for you, Olympia."

"Is someone else coming for dinner?" I asked them, confused when I saw the five place settings instead of three.

"Someone else? No. It's just going to be us." grandpa told me and I nodded slowly.

"Us, meaning just the three of us here, right? I mean, you know Mom and Christa aren't coming." I asked them warily. I saw them exchange a look and realised that they thought that Mom and Christa would be coming. I groaned internally because I really didn't want to be the bearer of bad news.

"Oh. Well, actually –" grandpa started to say but grandma cut him off.

"Of course we knew your mother and Christa aren't coming. The maid made a mistake. Olympia, it was three for dinner, not five. Well, she's fired. Clear those places at once, please. Richard, take Rory in the living room. I'll just do it myself."

"All right." Grandpa said lightly and rested a hand on my lower back to lead me into the living room. I turned my head back at the last second and saw grandma bracing herself against a chair and a hurt look flash across her face.

* * *

**Christa POV:**

The next day, mom, Rory and I were clothing shopping looking for the perfect dress for mom's back together date with Luke. I linked my arm with mom's as we exited another clothing shop and started walking down the street.

"If I still want that sweater in twenty minutes I'm coming back to get it." I reasoned with my mother.

"Okay, wait. What is wrong with this picture?" mom asked us and I frowned in confusion.

"Huh?" Rory asked in confusion from mom's other side.

"There aren't any hot shirtless men feeding me grapes and fanning me with a giant leaf while I lay back and sip mojitos?" I suggested with slyly grin.

"That sounds glorious." She told me, matching my grin with one of her own. "But no. You - look at you. An armful of bags and a potential twenty-minute sweater on the way, and look at me. Completely bagless." She finished and I chuckled.

"Relax, the day's still young." Rory said to her and I nodded in agreement.

"There are no more clothes out there for me. The Lorelai look is over. I wish someone had told me."

"That would've helped." I quipped but mom's attention was on a lady walking past us.

"Oh, see? That's what I want. Hey, come on. Let's follow her."

"Mom, you just got back together with Luke. Now is not the time to be experimenting." I joked as we watched the woman walk around.

"I meant the sweater." She told me as she playfully slapped my arm.

"I'm not following that girl." Rory said firmly.

"But she knows where my stores are and she looks about my size, so if she happens to have an aneurysm between now and tomorrow night - what?" mom started to rant but then she noticed Rory staring across the street. Mom and I both frowned in confusion and followed her gaze to the café across the street. Sitting outside the café was Logan and a blonde haired girl, I think her name was Karen. I had seen her around at some of our parties the last couple of months. From what I had heard she was a totally groupie sort of girl.

"My God. Is that Logan? It is Logan. I can't believe it. What a jerk." Mom said and I looked at her in confusion and raised an eyebrow at her.

"Mom, it's okay." Rory said with a sigh.

"No, it's not okay! He's sitting over there with a girl and - oh, no you don't. Get me a rock." Mom ordered.

"Mom –" Rory and I said at the same time.

"I am beaning him with a rock!"

"Mom! Stop, it's fine!" Rory assured her.

"How is it fine? I'm sorry, aren't you still seeing him?" mom asked her.

"Well, yeah."

"Okay, so if you're still seeing him and he's over there seeing her, how is that okay?"

"Because. We're keeping things casual." She stated matter-of-factly but I could tell that she was jealous of seeing Logan over there with Karen.

"Casual?" mom asked with a raised eyebrow.

"We see each other, we see other people, and that's him over there, seeing other people. So it's fine."

"Oh."

"We both agreed."

"Okay. You both agreed, then, okay. But, aren't you guys sleeping together?" mom asked and I snorted in amusement.

"Mom. It's college." I pointed out to her.

"Oh, right. It's college." Mom repeated with a frown.

"We're both busy. We have class, we have friends. You know, it's good to just keep things cas, have fun. That's it." Rory informed her.

"No one calls it cas." I told her drily and she shot me a look.

"Fun. Sure. I get it. Friends with benefits. No problem, I watch Oprah." Mom said with a sigh. "Okay, so. Are you sure you're cool with this?"

"I'm completely cool with this." Rory said.

"I'm not cool with this. That's Karen Potter. Totally whore." I commented with a grimace.

"'Kay. 'Cause it just really bothers –" mom said to Rory.

"Mom, look over there! I think the Lorelai look is back, and it's in velvet!" Rory said, cutting her off in the middle of her sentence. I chuckled a little and watched Rory start walking down the street. I pulled mom forward with me, following Rory. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and sent a quick message to Stephanie.

**Christa: You know Karen Potter? We hate her.**

Steph texted me back almost instantly.

**Steph: I'll get right on it. Why do we hate her?**

**Christa: She's dating Logan. And so is Rory.**

**Steph: I'll pass the message on to Rose and Juliet.**

I smiled at her reply and continued to walk down the street with mom and Rory.

* * *

Rory and I were in my dorm room getting ready together. I was standing in front of the full length mirror admiring my costume when my cell phone rang. I walked over to the bed and answered it after checking the caller ID.

"Well?" I asked my mother on the over end of the phone call.

"It's too sparkly." Mom complained and I shook my head in amusement.

"It's not too sparkly." I argued with her.

"I look like a chandelier."

"What shoes are you wearing?" I asked her, ignoring the chandelier comment.

"The pink pumps." She informed me grimly.

"I like those."

"Are they a little too 'Come and get it'?"

"Don't you want him to come and get it?" I responded coyly, a smile lighting up my face.

"Uh, yes, but I want it to be his idea to come and get it. It's not the same if the shoes tell him to 'Come and get it'."

"I really, really want to stop saying 'Come and get it'." I told her jokingly.

"Fine." She agreed but I could hear the pout in her voice.

"I have to get ready."

"Going out?" she asked me excitedly.

"You just want to live vicariously through me. Well, it's Finn's birthday. He's having a party. Lots of booze, no food whatsoever."

"Uh, that Finn." Mom sighed in amusement. I had told her many stories about my drunken Australian friend and she had even begged me to let her meet him.

"We're going to celebrate another year of Finn. Now, it's themed. Anything Quentin Tarantino is acceptable." I informed her giddily.

"Is Rory going?" mom asked me curiously and I nodded even though she couldn't see me.

"Yeah, we're getting ready together. I'll put you on speaker phone. Hang on." I told her as I held the phone away from my ear and pressed the speaker button. I placed the phone on the counter so that it was in between Rory and I.

"Hey, mom." Rory called into the phone.

"Hello, fruit of my loins." Mom responded and I fought a shudder. "So, are you going to this party tonight?"

"As a matter of fact, I have a date tonight." Rory told her smugly and I rolled my eyes at her as I fixed my hair. Earlier, she had come in all proud of herself for casually dating someone other than Logan.

"Logan?" mom asked her.

"No, Robert."

"Who's Robert?"

"He's a friend of mine and Christa's."

"Have I met this Robert?" mom asked sceptically.

"No, you have not met this Robert." Rory replied sternly.

"What's his last name?"

"Why? Do you think I'm making him up?" Rory asked a little defensively.

"I just wondered if I ever heard you mention him before."

"Um, he's just a guy I know at Yale, and Robert," she paused and looked at me like a deer caught in the headlights. I mouthed the word 'Grimaldi' to her and she nodded, "Grimaldi asked me to go, so I am going to go."

"Don't worry, mom. I've met him. Actually, we are pretty good friends. I even dated him back in high school for a couple of weeks. Hell of a kisser and I can only imagine that he's gotten better with age and practice." I told both mom and Rory saucily and shotting a wink at Rory.

"So, does this mean it's over with Logan?" mom asked Rory.

"Nope. It just means that tonight I'm going out with Robert." Rory replied to her.

"And you like this Robert, right?" mom asked and I could hear the confusion in her voice.

"Right. You know. The party's a Quentin Tarantino themed party, and you have to wear a costume, so I'm going as Gogo." Rory said, trying to change the subject and I chuckled at her.

"'Cause you have the skirt."

"And no other ideas." I added with smirk.

"Cluelessness is the mother of invention. Call me after." Mom said and I smiled at the phone where her voice was coming from.

"Will do." We both said at the same time.

"Oh, this dress is too slutty." Mom whined again and I rolled my eyes at her over dramatics.

"The dress is fine. The person in it, however –" I joked, trailing off at the end and I heard mom mock gasp at me.

"You're breaking up, the, the house is going through a tunnel. You're breaking up, I –" mom said and then started making crinkling sounds and hung up the phone, making Rory and I laugh at her. I looked in the mirror one last time just as there was a knock on the door. I smirked at Rory and went to greet Colin.

* * *

Colin and I walked into the party together and immediately saw Rory and Robert at a table to the side of the room. I turned to smile up at Colin and kissed him soundly on the lips before pulling away and smirking. He smiled down at me and kissed me lightly again. He was about to say something to me when Finn joined us near the entrance to the party.

"Colin! Christa!" he called to us and we turned to greet him.

"Happy birthday, Finn." I said to him as I kissed his cheek.

"Happy birthday, Finn. You owe me two hundred dollars." Colin said and I hit him lightly on the chest for bring debts into a party.

"Well, maybe for my birthday you'll forgive me that." Finn said but then looked at Colin expectant expression so he sighed and pulled out his wallet. "Does your father have any idea what a toll his cross-dressing took on your psyche?"

"That was your father, Finn."

"Ah, you're right." The Australian muttered and then held up his hand to saw us his painted fingernails. "My God, that explains a lot."

"All right, children, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we will all be in a great deal of pain." He exclaimed as he took the tray of shots off a waitress walking past us. "Thank you, darling. Your name and phone number would also be appreciated." He said with a wink at the girl. The waitress rolled her eyes and walked away. Finn glanced at us again before dancing after her.

"Finn's quite an original." I stated to my boyfriend and he nodded in agreement.

"Yes, he is. Have I told you I like your costume?" he asked me, looking me up and down.

"No, you didn't." I told him with an exaggerated pout.

"Did that count, or are you expecting me to say it again?" he joked with a boyish grin and I just laughed and leaned up to kiss him again. I pulled away and sighed contently. "You look amazing." He whispered in my ear and I grinned. Colin looked over my shoulder and grinned widely. I frowned in confusion and followed his gazed to where Rory and Robert stood.

"What?" I asked him warily. He bit his bottom lip and pointed back over in that direction so I looked back over my shoulder and saw Logan and Whitney on a couch nearby. Logan was watching Rory and Robert talk intently. I squealed happily and clapped my hands together. Colin laughed at my excitement and grabbed my hand to lead me over to them. "Hi, sweetie." I greeted Rory with a hug as we got closer. I kissed Robert on the cheek while Colin greeted Rory with a hug as well.

"Hi, Christa!" Rory greeted me warmly and Robert gave me a half hug. I leaned back into Colin as Harrison wandered over to the table with us, looking slightly drunk already.

"Oh, hey, Harrison. Where's your date?" I asked him in concern.

"I went to go pick her up. She's dressed like Mira Sorvino." He informed us and we all frowned in confusion.

"How do you dress like Mira Sorvino?" Robert asked him.

"You have blonde hair and a name tag that says 'Mira Sorvino'. I just turned around and left." He said, shaking his head in disgust. We all laughed at him as Logan joined us with Whitney.

"Well, well, well. The gang's all here. Robert, good to see you." Logan greeted him.

"Hello, Logan." Robert replied, nodding his head in the blondes direction. Colin and I watched this all in amusement.

"Rory, like the costume." Logan said to her.

"I like yours too." She replied politely and I had to smother a laugh.

"This is Whitney. Whitney, Robert, Rory. You know Colin, Christa and Harrison." Logan introduced all of us and I smiled back tightly as did Rory. Colin pinched my side in warning to be nice.

"Whitney, is your friend Josie here?" Harrison asked her.

"Yeah, she's over there with the guy dressed like Harvey Weinstein." Whitney informed him, pointing in the right direction.

"Perfect. I'll see you later."

"Leave her alone, Harrison." She warned him and I laughed out loud that time because I knew that Harrison wasn't someone you could stop. Whitney glared at me in response and I just smiled back innocently.

"Yes, yes. Of course." Harrison said before walking off. The six of us were left in an awkward silence so I rolled my eyes.

"Well, I want to dance." I announced and grabbed Colin hand. I dragged a groaning Colin out on to the dance floor. Later in the night, after a few drinks and a couple of dances, I found a familiar blonde in the crowd and ran up to her and jumped on her back. Steph squealed and turned around quickly making me fall onto the floor. My best friend looked at me in shock and I just laughed and put my hand up for her to help me up. She grasped my hand and pulled me to my feet.

"Hello, best friend." I said to her as she pulled me into a hug. Rose and Juliet, who were standing with Steph, laughed at our exchange.

"Hello, best friend." Steph replied gleefully and I could tell that she had been drinking as well. The four of us stood around talking and drinking, giggling at every little thing until I felt two arms wrap around my waist and I squealed in surprise. I felt warm breath on my neck and leaned into his touch. I heard Colin chuckle in my ear and I giggled.

"Sorry, girls, but I need to borrow my girlfriend." Colin said to my friend and they all laughed and nodded as Colin dragged me away from them. I turned back when we were half way across the room.

"Love you, Steph! Love you, Rose! Love you, Jules!" I called out happily and they all replied with 'I love yous'. Colin shook his head at me and dragged me over to the table where Rory and Robert where still standing.

"My entire goal in life is to outlive my brother, inherit the family fortune, put all my sisters out on the street and live as frivolously as possible, have numerous wives, thousands of illegitimate children and die completely alone and leave every cent to a parrot named Polly." I heard robert say to Rory as he approached them.

"That's your entire goal in life." Rory stated more than asked him.

"Except for the name of the parrot, I stick to everything I just said."

"You're a fascinating specimen, Robert." I said to him as I stumbled over to them and leaned on the table for support.

"Well, Josie's a lesbian." Harrison announced as he joined us at the table.

"I knew it!" I cried out drunkenly at his announcement.

"You struck out, Harrison?" Rory asked him.

"Whatever. Is Lydia here?" he asked us.

"Yeah, she's here with Patrick, her fiancé." Colin told him pointedly. I noticed that his voice wasn't slurred at all and figured that he hadn't drunk as me so that he could look after me in my drunken state.

"God, I hate these stupid incestuous parties! It's the same people over and over." Harrison ranted and I snorted and wrapped my arm around Colin's waist. Finn staggered over to the table and put an arm around Colin's shoulder.

"Who's as drunk as I am?" the Australian asked in greeting and I put my hand up to say yes.

"No one since Spencer Tracy died." Colin replied drily, grabbing my hand and lowering it.

"Finn, are there any interesting women here at all?" Harrison asked the host.

"Have you met Christa?" Finn asked and I grinned happily but Colin smacked Finn on the back of the head. Finn grimaced at the pain and changed his answer. "Have you tried Josie?"

"I'm getting a drink." Harrison huffed and walked off.

"All righty. I have to go make the rounds." Finn said to us and then turned to Rory in confusion. "Have I met you yet?"

"Several times." Rory said to him and he nodded.

"All right then." He said and then left the table.

"So, how about that drink?" Robert asked Rory.

"Nothing too strong?" Rory replied to him.

"I'll see what I can do." He replied and then walked off to find the bar. I turned to Rory and smiled saucily.

"If you'll excuse us, we are going to find a bathroom to have sex in." I told her matter-of-factly and then walked off, pulling Colin behind me determinedly. I heard Colin chuckle at me but followed me nonetheless. I grinned at him and turned around, gripping his shirt collar with one hand. I pulled him into a bathroom backwards and he matched my grin. Once we were in the empty bathroom, I pulled him into a deep kiss.


	18. Chapter 18

**To Live and Let Diorama:**

"What about this one?" I asked Colin as I modelled the dark blue bikini for him. I was trying to choose which bathing suit to take away with us that weekend. A whole group of us were heading to Cabo for a weekend of sun and sand at the beach. Luckily, Logan's family had a beachside mansion for us to reside in. I had invited Rory to come but had warned her that Logan was going with a girl with fake blonde hair named Addison.

"I like it. Let's see the other one." Colin said from his spot lounging on the bed. He had his hands behind his head and his ankles crossed as he watched me with an amused expression as I tried on multiple bathing suits for him.

"You just like watching me get changed." I replied with a scoff but still I undid the string that was holding the top together and threw it at him when it fell loose. I grabbed the purple bikini top and tied it on. I modelled it in the full length mirror.

"Now the pants." Colin ordered me playfully and I raised an eyebrow at him but complied. I quickly changed the blue bikini bottoms to the purple and looked in the mirror. I felt Colin's gaze burning into my back and looked up to meet his eyes in the mirror. I grinned saucily when I saw the heat swirling in his eyes. I turned around and stepped towards him.

"What do you think?" I asked him seriously, feeling a little self-conscious. He slowed started clapping in appreciation and I laughed gleefully as I walked over the bed. I let him pull me down on top of him and kiss me hungrily. I put my hand on his chest to stop him when I heard my phone ring. He groaned and threw his head back in frustration as I climbed off of him and walked over to answer the phone.

"Hello?" I said into the phone as I answered it.

"He's dead." I heard my mother say on the other end and I immediately became worried.

"Who?" I asked in concern and Colin leant forward when he heard the worry in my voice.

"Old Man Twickham." She informed me and I gasped in disbelief.

"No!"

"Yes!"

"It's got to be a mistake." I said to her and Colin sat up in bed, looking over at me carefully. I waved away his concern and walked over to sit next to him on the bed. I mouthed the word 'Mom' to him and he nodded in understanding.

"It's not. The man is gone." She told me and I frowned.

"I don't believe it. I mean, are you sure?"

"There's no breath left in him. The light's gone out of his eyes. He smelled the burnt almonds. He's feeding the worms. He's chatting up his grandpa. He is the old man formerly known as Twickham."

"Wow. I can't believe he's gone. I mean, he's been dying my whole life." I said in disbelief and Colin stopped playing with my fingers and looked at me in confusion. I kissed his cheek and shook my head at his concern.

"And I just got my good-bye in. He was about to close shop for the day but we got in, told him good-bye and that we'd miss him, we left and then apparently he just closed his eyes. Muttered something about Lori Loughlin and that was that." Mom told me.

"Wow."

"Yeah."

"He's never died before." I stated stupidly.

"I guess there's a first time for everything. Kirk's happy, though. His dying caused a run on souvenirs."

"Tacky." I said in mock disapproval. I bit my lip to keep for giggling as Colin traced little love hearts on my bare stomach.

"Oh, yeah. Tacky." She agreed with me.

"Did you buy me some?" I asked excitedly and Mom laughed at me.

"Yes, I did. So, are you coming home this weekend?" she asked me curiously.

"Still trying to live vicariously through me, Mom? No, I'm not coming home this weekend. Colin and I are going are going with a bunch of our friends to Cabo." I told her happily and I heard shriek in delight.

"Fun. Have a margarita for me?"

"Of course." I agreed immediately. "So, I should go. I still have to pack. Oh, while I have you, blue or purple bikini?"

"Purple." She responded and I looked down at the purple bikini I was still wearing.

"Good choice. Sorry about Old Man Twickham." I said to her sincerely.

"Got to move on. I hear Old Man Ketchum has a nasty cough. Could turn into something." Mom joked and I chuckled at her.

"That's the spirit. Bye. I love you." I said to her before hang up the phone with a sigh. I turned back to Colin with a smile. "Now where were we?" I asked rhetorically before he pulled me into a kiss.

* * *

Later that day, after hours on a private plane, we landed and made our way to the mansion that the Huntzberger's owned on the beach. Steph, Rose, Juliet, Addison and I walked in before the boys and took in the giant place. Colin, Finn, Logan and Harrison all followed us in, carrying the bags for us. Logan dropped the bags he was carrying and turned to face us.

"Alright, I have your spare keys." He announced as he placed out the keys to us. I frowned when I saw that mine was the only one that was bright pink.

"Why is mine pink?" I asked him curiously and he raised an eyebrow while I waited impatiently for him to answer.

"Because you lose things. I figured I'd make it as easy as possible to remember." He replied and I gasped in outrage as the others chuckled. I slapped Colin on the arm and he wrapped tucked me into his side.

"I don't lose things!" I exclaimed and they all looked at me unbelieving.

"What about your virginity?" Harrison joked from next to Juliet.

"I didn't lose it. I know exactly where it is." I retorted, sneaking a glance at Colin from the corner of my eye. He had his lips pressed together in a tight line, trying to keep himself from laughing.

"You know, I never did find out who you lost your virginity to. Whenever I asked you got all closed off." Logan said with a perplexed expression on his handsome face and I shared a look with Steph because she was the only one, other than Colin that knew who I had lost my virginity to.

"You might as well tell them." Steph said to me and the others perked up at the mention of gossip. I sighed and crossed my arms over my chest.

"Come then!" Finn said to me and I gave him a 'go to hell' look, which he ignored.

"Fine!" I huffed. "I lost my virginity to Colin." I announced to them and the room fell silent. The boys all looked over at Colin and I glanced back to see him looking smug so I rolled my eyes at him.

"You didn't lose your virginity until this year?" Rose asked in disbelief.

"Of course not!" I snapped impatiently, wanting this conversation to be over with. "I lost it in high school. When I was sixteen."

"Oh, I knew that it couldn't be. I've heard the stories." Addison said with a sneer and I glared at her.

"But you two weren't having sex when you dated in high school." Logan reminded us and I shrugged my shoulders nonchalantly.

"It was after I left for Boston."

"I was with Colin every time we visited you in Boston."

"Not the first time I visited." Colin added to the conversation for the first time. I rolled my eyes and walked past the group into the living room. I fell down on the couch and lay down. Colin came over a picked up my legs so that he could sit with them in his lap. The others all came into the room and found seats all around.

"When was the first time you visited?" Logan asked Colin inquisitively from one of the armchairs.

"It was two months after she left." Colin informed him and Logan frowned.

"Why did you go without me?" he asked and Colin just shrugged.

"It was a spare of the Moment decision. I was at Yale and thinking of how much Teek would love it. I missed her so I got in my car and drove to Boston to see her." he said as he looked over at me lovingly and I smiled back as I sat up with my legs still over his.

"Surprised the hell out of me when he picked me up at school." I added as I looked around the group. "We spent the afternoon together and one thing lead to another."

"Okay, okay, we don't need details!" Logan exclaimed loudly before we could elaborate, making everyone in the room laugh. I held up my hand in surrender at his request.

"Just so you know, Stephanie's sharing a bed with me tonight." Finn announced randomly to the group and I shared a smirk with Rosemary.

"You're delusional, Finn." Steph replied with an eye roll but I could see the pleased smile playing at her lips.

"We all knew that, Steph." Colin reminded her with teasing grin. Finn shot him a dirty look but everyone ignored him. Logan abruptly stood up from where he was sitting.

"Alright, everyone, go choose your rooms!" he ordered us and everyone got up and ran out of the room so that they could get the best bedroom.

* * *

Rose, Juliet, Steph and I were getting ready for a night of clubbing in mine and Colin's bedroom. We were all standing around in our underwear, trying to decide what to wear. Suppressing a grin, I reached into the walk-in closet and pulled out four black garments bags. Juliet and Rose weren't paying attention to me because they were arguing about what dresses to wear. Steph was standing in front of the mirror model a blue dress when she saw me and meet my eye in the mirror. She raised an eyebrow at me curiously and I just smiled back mischievously.

"What's in the bags?" my best friend asked me curiously and caught the attention of Rose and Juliet.

"Oh these?" I asked innocently. They all nodded eagerly and I strutted over to them with a wide grin. "Just something I made." I told them and all three of the girls squealed in delight. I laughed at their joyful expressions and handed them each their designated garment bags. In the past I had designed and made outfits and costumes for my friends and they had always loved them. I watched hopefully as my friend quickly unzipped the black bags and their eyes widened when they saw what was inside.

"Oh, my God!" they all said in unison as they saw the dresses that I had made for them. They all lifted their heads to look at me and I smiled widely. Steph slowly pulled out the short, emerald green dress I had designed specifically for her. Rose gasped as she held up her dark purple outfit made for her. Juliet laughed in delight as she studied the ruby red dress in her hands.

"This is amazing!" Stephanie gushed.

"Beautiful!" Rose exclaimed.

"I absolutely love it!" Juliet added and I laughed in delight that they loved their presents.

"I'm glad you like them." I told them honestly as they all quickly got changed into the dresses. I unzipped my own garment bag and smiled at the sapphire blue dress that I had made for myself. I put on the dress with the other girls and studied myself in the mirror.

"You look stunning." Steph whispered in my ear and I smiled gratefully at her. I turned around and silently hugged her tightly. I looked over her shoulder at the other two girls and linked my arm through Steph's.

"Let's go party!" I cried happily as they laughed at me and we stumbled out of the room towards the chatter downstairs in the living room. Rose and Juliet skipped ahead of us on the stairs so I took the chance to lean into Steph's side. "Finn is going to bloody piss himself when he sees you." I whispered to her in a fake Australian accent and she laughed out loud with as we stepped into the foyer. All eyes immediately turned to us and I bit my lip nervously. While I loved having all eyes on me, it was still nerve racking when you could feel everyone in the room's eyes burning holes into you. I smiled brightly when I saw Colin standing at the bottom of the steps with his mouth hanging open as he watched me. I sauntered directly over to him and used one finger to lift his jaw up.

"You look amazing, Christa." He whispered so that only I could hear him and I blushed and looked down at my feet. Now it was Colin's turn to tilt my chin upwards to meet his eyes. "It's true. You are breathtaking."

"Thank you. You look very handsome." I told him honestly as I smoothed out the lapel on his jacket. He smiled at me and I pressed a loving kiss to his lips. He wrapped his arm around my waist and we started to walk out to the limo to join the others who had already left while we were talking. Colin opened the limo door for me and I smiled my thanks as I slid into the car.

"Okay, where are we going tonight?" Logan asked brightly after Colin had climbed into the limo after me.

* * *

I walked into the club hand in hand with Colin and smiled widely to myself as I heard the pumping music surround me. Colin pressed a kiss to my temple as the others wandered in different directions. The girls, minus Addison were heading straight for the dance floor while the boys and Addison were running straight to the bar for drinks. I thought that Finn was already in withdrawal because he hadn't had an alcoholic drink in a few hours and was acting twitchy in the car.

"Can I get you a drink?" Colin asked me as we headed towards an empty booth big enough for our whole group.

"A margarita?" I asked happily and he frowned in confusion because I normally didn't drink them. "For my Mom." I explained and he chuckled at me but left without a word to get my drink. He was used to my weird quirks by now. Whenever I went away Mom asked me to have a specific drink for her and I would take a photo of me drinking it and send it to her. I laughed as I watched a guy saunter up to Rose on the dance floor. She was the only one of us not to be with someone this trip and I knew that she planned on making it worth her while. I gasped in surprise as I felt someone sit down next to me and then smiled then I saw that it was only Colin. He silently handed me my margarita and put his beer down on the table. I opened my mouth to ask him to take the photo but he had already reached into his pocket to get it.

"Say, 'queso'." Colin ordered me and I froze in confusion at the foreign word.

"What?" I asked dumbly as I raised an eyebrow at him.

"It means 'cheese' in Spanish." He informed me and I still looked sceptically at him.

"How do I know you're telling me the truth? I only speck Italian and French, not Spanish." I told him cheekily.

"Guess you're just going to have to trust me then." He replied, shooting me a cheeky grin that almost melted me.

"Fine but if it really means something dirty and people look at me weirdly, look out." I warned him playfully before posing with my drink. I blinked as the flash went off and nearly blinded me.

"That was a good one." Colin told me with a smile as I reached for his camera photo. I laughed when I saw the photo that he had taken of me. It was a good photo of me so I quickly found my mom's number in Colin's contacts and sent it to her.

"Thank you." I whispered into his ear over the music and then kissed him passionately on the lips. He reached over to pull me into his lap and I giggled as I fell on him. I wasn't paying attention to our surroundings and jumped in surprise as someone cleared their throat to get our attention from behind us. I turned around to see who it was and scowled playfully when I saw that it was Steph standing there with a cheeky smile on her face. "Can we help you?"

"I need to borrow my best friend." She told me and then grabbed my hand to pull me up without waiting for a reply. I turned my head back to say goodbye to Colin and saw him watching my ass as I walked away. I grinned proudly and blow him a kiss when his attention returned to my face. Steph pulled me over to the other side of the room where Rose and Juliet were waiting for us. I giggled as she pushed me down onto the seat next to them.

"So, what's with the urgency?" I asked them as I stole Rose's drink and took a sip before handing it back to her with a smile.

"I just saw Addison run into the bathroom nearly in tears." Juliet informed me and I leaned forward at the prospective gossip.

"Why?" I asked curiously.

"Well, I heard from Rose, who heard from Harrison, who heard from Steph, who heard from Finn, who heard from Logan," Juliet started and then paused to make the announcement more dramatic, "that Logan accidently called Addison Rory."

"Oh, my God!" I gasped at the new information and the other three girls nodded excitedly. They were all rooting for Logan and Rory as well because they genuinely like Rory and they knew that I wanted them together. I grimaced in sympathy for Addison though. "Poor Addison."

"Whatever, I don't like her." Rose dismissed her with a wave of her hand and I laughed at her.

"Okay, well, thank you for the update. And the interruption." I added and looked pointedly at Steph for breaking up my make out session with Colin. My blonde friend just grinned back at me, not ashamed in the least. "But I'm going to go find Colin." I told them with a wink and a laugh as I flounced away to find my boyfriend. Later that night, I was standing with Steph near the bar. We were laughing at a guy trying to hit on an empty barstool he was that drunk as we waited for the bartender to bring us our drinks.

"Hey, slut!" I heard someone call out and I turned around to see what was going on. I didn't expect to see a very drunk looking Addison walking up to me. I turned around to face her fully as Steph did the same next to me. "Figures you'd turn around when someone asked for a slut." Addison said as she got closer to us. I raised an eyebrow at her insult but tried to ignore her as I turned back around. "Don't turn your back on me!" Addison hissed at me as she forcibly turned me back around by the shoulder to face her.

"What do you want, Addison?" I asked her icily as I meet her glare head on.

"I don't know what they see in you and your sister. You are just a couple of hicks from the backwoods." She spat at me and I tried not to smirk at her.

"My last name is Hayden and Rory's last name is Gilmore. And we have both of the family's blood running through our veins." I countered smugly and I watched her fume as she realised that I was right.

"I guess I know where you and that dog you call a sister get your sluttiness from then. Didn't your mother get knocked up at sixteen?" she asked rhetorically as she smirked victoriously, thinking that she had won.

"You say that like it offends me. Trust me, Addison. It doesn't. Without my mom's sluttiness, as you called it, I wouldn't be here. And that would make you happy, which is something I distinctly don't want. So, for just that one fact, I praise that my mother couldn't keep her knees shut in high school." I responded as I picked up my drink from the bar and took a sip. Addison's face turned red as she listened to me talk. She grabbed the drink out of my hand and threw it into my face, making me and the audience we had attracted gasp in unison. I licked my top lip and smiled brightly, knowing that my indifference was pissing her off more than me reciprocating. "Thank you, you're right. I probably shouldn't drink anymore tonight." I said in a sugary sweet voice just to rile her up then more. Addison hissed and raised her hand to slap me. The pain vibrated through my body and gasped as she hit me. Knowing that I couldn't just stand around anymore, I raised my own hand and slapped her back. She immediately lunged at me and we fell to bar floor as she tackled me. I faintly heard some of the guys shouting the words, 'girl fight' in the background, but I focused on getting the crazy person off of me. I used all my strength to lift my leg and knee her but she just grunted and gripped my hair tighter. I screamed out in pain and grabbed her hair in response. I used my strength to roll us over so that I was on top of her. She struggled underneath me and screamed at me words that I could hear because of the loud music, cheering and the adrenalin pumping through me. I felt someone's arm wrap around my waist and then I was being lifted off of Addison. I struggled against the arms holding me, wanting to go over and punch Addison in the face. The person holding me moved a piece of hair from my face and I started to calm down at their touch.

"You calmed down yet?" I heard Colin whisper in my ear and I just nodded as I watched Addison stand up from the ground. He loosened his hold on me and relaxed against him. Addison glared at me as she stalked away from us. I turned around to face Colin and he looked at me in concern. He gaze fell on the cheek that Addison had slapped and he frowned. Using his thumb he light glazed over the area and I whimpered unconsciously because it hurt. Colin grabbed my hand pulled me over to the bar. "Can we get some ice?" he called over to the bartender, who nodded and returned with a towel filled with ice. Colin pressed it against my cheek and I sucked in a sharp breath at the pain and he smiled at me in sympathy. "You know, that was pretty hot." He said to me to break the tension and I laughed out loud at him.

"Teek!" I heard someone call out from behind me.

"Who is it? Last time I turned around when someone called out to me it ended in a brawl." I joked to Colin and he chuckled as he looked over my shoulder at the person. Before he could tell me who was calling out to me, Logan rushed up next to me.

"Hey, I heard you got into a fight." He stated with a frown and I smiled at him lightly. Colin took my hand and placed it on the ice bag to hold it in place. The rest of our group, bar Addison, came running up behind Logan.

"Addison started it." Stephanie defended me immediately.

"Addison did this?" Logan asked dumbfounded and I nodded in reply.

"She was pretty pissed." I told him honestly with a shrug of my shoulders.

"Why was she pissed?" he asked me cluelessly and I quirked an eyebrow at him.

"Because girls don't like it when you call them by the wrong name, you dumbass." Colin answered for me and a flash of realisation flashed across Logan's face.

"Oh."

"Yeah." I said in amusement.

* * *

After the fight with Addison, I wasn't really feeling like clubbing so Colin suggested a private, romantic stroll on the beach and I happily agreed. We were walked along the abandoned beach hand in hand and I held my heels in one hand, swinging them carelessly as we walked.

"You were pretty badass tonight, Teek." Colin said teasingly as we walked and I laughed at him.

"I know, right? I should be in a fight club. I'd make a ton of money." I said playfully.

"You'd have to tell me when the fights were so I could bet on you."

"Um, no. First rule of fight club, we don't talk about fight club." I told him with a grin and he laughed at me playing along. I looked around at the empty beach and grinned to myself. I let go of Colin's hand a started running towards the water, dropping my shoes as I ran. I turned around to look at Colin, who was standing where I left him with a confused smile on his handsome face.

"What are you doing?" he asked me as he walked down the beach towards me. I just smile back innocently and shrugged as I unzipped my dress. The blue material pool at my feet and I bit my lip seductively as I watched Colin's gaze rack over my body. I took a step back so that the ocean hit my ankles and silently stripped off my bra and panties. I raised an eyebrow in question at Colin.

"Are you coming in?" I asked him with a smirk and Colin hurriedly stripped out of his clothing to join me as I ran into the ocean with a laugh. Colin came up next to me and wrapped his arms around my waist. I giggled as he kissed his way along my neck until he reached my lips. He kissed me hungrily and I eagerly complied when his tongue begged for entrance into my mouth. After we had sex in the ocean, we were sitting up on the beach. I sat in between Colin's legs, resting against his chest in nothing but my panties and his dress shirt. He had his arms wrapped around my waist and I closed my eyes in contentment. Colin played with a piece of my hair and I smiled to myself at the perfect serenity of the moment. I felt Colin breath on my neck as he pressed a hot kiss just behind my ear.

"I love you." He whispered to me and I smiled widely at the perfect words that constructed my perfect moment. There wasn't a moment's hesitation in my reply because I knew beyond a doubt the truth behind them.

"I love you, too."


	19. Chapter 19

**Hi everybody! **

**I have a poll going on my author page to see if you guys want another story based on Season 6 of Gilmore Girls. If you do want me to continue Christa's story vote now!**

**- BehindGrayEyes x**

* * *

**But I'm a Gilmore:**

I was tired from the flight back from Cabo. After the fight between me and Addison, no one was practically up to partying and some of us had classes so we headed back early. I was walking out of class and towards the coffee cart where I was meeting Colin when my cell phone started ringing. I reached into my pocket, while trying to balance a handful of books, and clumsily held the phone up to my ear without checking the caller ID.

"Hello?" I answered tiredly as I continued walking, balancing the phone between my ear and my shoulder.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!" someone on the other end of the phone squealed happily and I grimaced and held the phone away so that I could check the caller ID. I smiled when I saw who it was because they were one of my best friends.

"Honor?" I asked the person on the other end of the phone call. I spotted Colin walking towards me with two coffee cups in hand and smiled at him. He reached me and gave me a quick kiss on the lips before taking the books out of my hand and trading me the coffee.

"Yeah, it's me." Honor confirmed, sounding out of breath from all the screaming. Colin and I walked over to an empty table in the courtyard and sat down.

"What's with all the screaming? Most people just say 'hello'. Some pirates say 'ahoy'." I joked with her as I took a sip of my coffee.

"Josh proposed!" she explained and then squealed happily and I joined in, which made Colin look at me in question.

"Josh proposed." I whispered to him and he smiled and nodded in understanding.

"Tell her congratulations and to tell Josh that I expect an invite to the bachelor party." Colin said to me and I chuckled at him before returning my attention to Honor.

"Colin says congratulations and to let Josh know that he expects an invite to the bachelor party." I informed Honor and I could hear her laugh through the phone.

"I will." She agreed immediately.

"Well, come on, tell me all about the proposal!" I urged her excitedly.

"I'm actually in the neighbourhood. Do you want to do lunch?"

"Absolutely. I want to the rock on your finger."

"Great. Meet me at Logan's room? I'm going to tell him in person and beg him to come to family dinner with me when I break the news."

"You and Josh have been together for three years now! I think they knew this was coming." I pointed out to her with a laugh.

"I think they were hoping one of us would die in a car accident and it wouldn't matter." She said drily.

"See, now I can't tell if you're joking or not."

"Me neither." She told me with a chuckle and I rolled my eyes at her.

"Alright, I'm heading to Logan's room now, Honor." I said to her and then hung up the phone. I sighed and turned to Colin with a smile. "I'm going to lunch with Honor."

"That's good. I know that you've missed her." he said to me and I laughed at the state.

"Yeah, alright, I'll see you later." I said to him as I stood up from my seat. He nodded and I bent over to kiss him soundly.

"I'll see you later. I love you." He said softly as I pulled away and I smiled, still not used to hearing those words come out of his mouth.

"I love you too." I told him as I kissed him again lightly and started walking away. I waved goodbye as I walked around the corner to Logan's dorm room. I saw a familiar blonde head of hair just outside the door and picked up the pace. "Honor!" I called out as I got closer and my friend turned around when she heard me. I practically flew into her arms and wrapped her in a hug. She giggled as she wrapped her arms around me as well.

"Christa!" she squealed as she hugged me tightly. I pulled back from the hug and held her at arm's length to inspect her thoroughly.

"You look happy." I declared gleefully after I finished looking her over.

"So do you." She said with a giggle and I had to laugh with her. I linked my arm through hers and we walked the rest of the way to Logan's dorm room. Honor knocked on the door and we waited impatiently for Logan or his roommate, Lanny. I sighed with impatience and banged on the door again when no one opened it. Finally, Lanny opened the door and looked at us expectantly. I never really like Lanny because whenever I was over with Logan he spent the whole time undressing me with his eyes and being slimey. Since I had been with Colin, he had started treating me like an insect on the bottom of his shoe.

"Is Logan here?" I asked him in faux-politeness.

"Nope." He answered and then he tried to shut the door on us. Honor gasped and stuck her foot in the doorway to stop it from shutting.

"Can we wait?" Honor asked in a tone that suggested that saying no was not an option. Lanny reluctantly nodded and we walked into the main room to wait for Logan. I threw myself down on the couch and Honor gracefully at down next to me. I turned my head to see Lanny putting on a coat.

"Don't touch anything." He warned us and I lift my hand off the couch in surrender while a scowled at him. He frowned at me and left without another word. I laughed a little and turned to Honor with an excitedly grin on my lips.

"So, tell me!" I ordered her and she got comfortable in the seat. She was about to launch into the story of her proposal when we heard the key in the lock and we both looked towards the door.

"I think I have a paper over –"we heard Logan say as he came into the room with Rory behind him.

"Well! Look how long you make a girl wait for you!" Honor said in greeting and I giggled at her trying to guilt her brother. Logan froze where he was and looked at the blonde haired beauty sitting next to me on the couch.

"Honor!" Logan cried excitedly.

"Do you really think you're worth it?" I asked him teasingly and he gave me a sarcastic smile while Honor and I chuckled.

"What are you doing here?" Logan asked his sister.

"Apparently begging for some affection!" she answered him and then she stood up from her spot on the couch. Logan came over to her, now standing near the couch and wrapped his arms around her in a hug. I chuckled at Logan's show of affection because it was such a rare occurrence. "It is so good to see you." Honor admitted with a chuckle as she hugged her brother tightly.

"You too!" Logan said to her with a huge grin.

"Listen, Logan. Maybe I should go." I heard Rory say and I felt bad about not remembering her being there. I jumped up off the couch and walked over to her.

"Hi, sweetie." I said to her cheerfully as I wrapped her in my arms in greeting. I noticed that she was kind of stiff so I frowned as I pulled away.

"What? Oh, sorry, God. Rory, this is my sister Honor. Honor, Rory Gilmore." Logan introduced them to each other and Honor's eyes went wide in recognition. I had mentioned my twin sister numerous times to Honor over the years. Rory relaxed next to me and I realised that she thought Honor was one of Logan's random sluts.

"Sister? Really? Oh. Well, it's nice to meet you." Rory said brightly to the older blonde girl.

"It's nice to meet you too." Honor said politely. "I've heard a lot about from Christa."

"So, what's the occasion?" Logan asked her, directing the conversation back to Honor's presence.

"Ooh! Tell him! Tell him!" I said excitedly as I dragged Rory on to the couch next to me. Logan looked at me like I was crazy and I just smiled back innocently.

"I had been a while since I've seen you and Christa, and since you never check your email I had to drag myself down and beg Lanny to let me in so I could show you this!" she said happily as she held up her hand to display her new engagement ring.

"Holy!" Logan exclaimed as he looked at the ring and then hugged Honor again in congratulations.

"It happened last night!"

"Oh, Josh finally gave in, uh?" Logan teased her with a grin.

"Oh, stop it. He's lucky I ever looked at him in the first place." Honor said jokingly and I chuckled at her comment

"Well, congratulations."

"Listen. I need a favour. I'm going to tell them tomorrow night and I need you there for support." Honor said to him and Logan and I both groaned at her.

"Come on." Logan groaned out loud at the thought of having dinner with his parents.

"Hey. I backed you up when you wanted to take a year off school and sail around the world. I wired you the money when you sunk the yacht. I helped pay off the Indonesian Coast Guard!" Honor reminded him pointedly and I laughed at their sibling exchange.

"Okay, okay! I'll be there." Logan agreed, holding his hands up in surrender.

"Oh, thank you! I love you, I love you, I love you. Okay. Now I can breathe. And focus on –" she said and then turned to Rory on the couch next to me, "- you. Hi."

"Hi." Rory said politely.

"Okay, I'm totally blanking. Your name is?" Honor said and I rolled my eyes and shook my head in amazement at my airheaded friend. She always had the worst memory when it came to names.

"Rory. Rory Gilmore." I reminded her kindly with an amused smile.

"Yeah, Rory's my," Logan started and then paused, I assumed trying to think of the right description, "girlfriend." He finished and I gasped in surprise. I gripped Rory's hand and turned to face her. Honor looked up at Logan in amusement.

"You okay over there? You need a little water, or a time machine?" Rory said him jokingly but I could hear the tint of panic in her voice.

"I'm sorry, did you say girlfriend?" I asked them in shock but I smiled widely at them.

"Yes." Logan admitted to us.

"It's new." Rory supplied and Honor and I laughed out loud at the couple in front of us.

"Oh, my God! I've never heard him call anyone his girlfriend before. Well, Alyssa Milano, but he was ten and in a weird Who's the Boss phase." Honor informed us and Rory and I chuckled.

"Oh, wow, time flies when you're getting pushed out the door." Logan joked.

"Okay, I'm sorry. Listen, you must come to dinner too." Honor said to Rory.

"Oh, um –" Rory started to say, uncomfortable with the spotlight.

"No. Really, come. Please come. It'll make it more festive and distracting."

"We'll see." Logan told her, throwing a nervous look at Rory.

"Oh! Christa, you should come too." Honor suggested to me and I laughed at her ridiculousness.

"Yeah, no way in hell." I told her with a smile and she just pouted at me.

"Come on! They love you more than they love me and Logan put together."

"Hey!" Logan protested. "It's true, but still offensive."

"It's not happening." I said to my friend with a shake of my head. "But try to snap a few pictures for me."

"Okay, fine." Honor pouted at me and then stood up and grabbed my hand to pull me up off the couch. "We have to go. I'll see you tomorrow night. Please don't be late?" she said to Logan.

"I promise." He said and then hugged his older sister. I gave Rory and kiss on the cheek as I picked up my bag from the couch.

"Bye, Rory." Honor said to my sister while I gave Logan a kiss on the cheek.

"I want to know the details." I whispered into his ear as I kissed his cheek in goodbye.

"Bye!" Rory called out to us as Honor and I headed towards the front door.

* * *

Honor and I sat down at an outside table at a little café just outside of the Yale campus. As we sat down at the table I immediately grabbed her left hand and examined her new engagement ring as she giggled at me.

"So, tell me how he popped the question." I demanded my friend as a waitress came up and we ordered ourselves a coffee.

"Well, he took me to dinner at this cute little bistro where we had our first date." She gushed happily as she leaned forward on the table and I watched her with wide smile because so looked so happy at the moment. "We had this lovely dinner and the candles were lit and the moon was full. It was the perfect, romantic atmosphere. Anyway, we were laughing and then this waiter came over and gave us two complimentary glasses of champagne and I figured out that he was going to propose. I mean, the ring in the champagne is such a cliché, right? But I looked into the glass and no ring. I snapped at Josh, because I was so excited that he was going to ask me to marry him and then nothing. Josh said that he was going to propose and that there was meant to be a diamond ring in the champagne. I was beyond mad that my ring wasn't there so I tracked down the waiter that was meant to slip the ring in the glass. I screamed at the poor boy until he admitted that he had dropped it and couldn't find it. I made him tell me exactly where he dropped it and then went into the kitchen. I climbed down onto my hands and knees and tried to find it. I was so upset. Tears were streaming down my cheeks so Josh finally couldn't take it anymore so he grabbed a metal ring that was just sitting on the kitchen bench and dropped down to one knee in front of me. I looked at him a surprise and he gave me this speech. He called me beyond crazy. He's exact words were 'utterly, unbelievably insane'." She told me and then laughed as she remembered the proposal. "Of course I said yes immediately."

"Oh, Honor!"

"It was perfectly imperfect." Honor said with a smile and I noticed the tears brimming in her eyes. She abruptly shook her head to clear it and wiped her eyes with her hand. I grabbed her and from across the table and gave it a squeeze. "Anyway, there was another reason I wanted to have lunch with you."

"Intrigue! Continue." I said teasingly.

"I wanted to ask you with you would be one of my bridesmaids. So, will you?" she asked me and I gasped in surprise. I put my hand over my mouth in shock and happiness.

"Yes! Of course!" I cried happily as I stood up and wrapped my arms around her happily. She stood up to meet me and we jumped up and down in each other's arms as we squealed in excitement.

* * *

**Rory POV:**

I stepped out of Logan's car and I gasped as I saw the giant mansion in front of me.

"Wow!" I breathed out in wonder as I took in the Huntzberger mansion. I swallowed hard because the house just made me even more nervous about meeting Logan's parents for the first time. I knew that Logan didn't really get along with them and I was a bit terrified to be meeting a man so renowned in the journalistic field. Mitchum Huntzberger was a very important in the career field that I wanted so much to be in.

"Uh, where are my keys? What did I do with my keys?" I heard Logan mutter nervously from the other side of the car.

"Just your parents live here?" I asked him in awe.

"Ah, got 'em." He uttered as he found the keys and pulled them from the ignition.

"Well, I certainly hope the drainage is good." I said out loud and Logan looked at me weirdly as he walked around the car to join me.

"Excuse me?"

"Because if it's not good and you have pooling somewhere, you may not know it for months." I explained my previous statement.

"I'll be sure to mention that to them."

"You look nervous." I told him as I took in his appearance.

"Do I? Huh. I'm just not so sure what I got you into."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, my family's not going to take my sister's engagement too well. They can be a little vicious when annoyed." He informed me, grimacing at the thought.

"Hey. Relax. You do not have to worry about me at all. Five years of Friday night dinners have prepared me for exactly this moment."

"Really?" he asked me sceptically, tilting his head to the side in question.

"Remind me to tell you about the time Christa climbed out a second story window in heels to get away from our grandmother." I said to him with a chuckle as I remembered the night it happened.

"Ah, I will." Logan said with a slight smile and I relaxed a little just at the sight of it. He reached for my hand and I let him pulled me up the steps to front door. "Okay, ready?"

"Ready." I said, trying to sound confident even though I could feel the nerves building inside of me. Logan gave me an incredulous look before he rang the bell at the side of the door. After a moment the door opened to reveal a very flustered Honor.

"You are late!" she spat at Logan venomously in greeting.

"Fifteen minutes." Logan defended himself but she just gave him a deadly look.

"Well, it's awful! A morgue! It's like they already know what I'm going to tell them."

"Well, you have been with Josh for three years now."

"That's what Christa said. I don't understand it. I called and told them that you were coming because that usually makes Mom happy. And I told her that you were bringing Rory so they'd be on their company behaviour, but from the minute Josh and I walked in that door it's been iceberg city! Josh has completely panicked. Shaking." Honor told us helplessly.

"Wow. Sorry."

"Don't be sorry. Just get in here and stop it." She said to him and then turned around, "I should have dragged Christa here." I heard her mutter under her breath as she marched back inside the house. Logan sighed loudly at the thought of confronting his family.

"Hm. Remind me to tell you about the time my mother wore a shirt with a rhinestone penis on it and my grandma had her car towed." I said cheerfully, trying to back the tension. I smiled when I saw Logan looking perplexed at the comment. He led me into the foyer and I gaped at the monstrous room. "Look at the ceiling!" I exclaimed excitedly as I gazed upwards.

"Come on." Logan said with a chuckle as he grabbed my hand and pulled me through the house.

"Have you seen this ceiling?"

"Hurry!" Honor hissed at us from the doorway to the living room. We entered the living room and I noticed Honor and a young man, an older blonde woman who was obviously Logan and Honor's mother and an older man, assumedly Logan's grandfather.

"Well, look what the cat dragged in." the older blonde woman said happily to Logan.

"Sorry we're late, everyone." Logan apologised to the room.

"It's all right, Logan, we're still waiting for your father." His mother said as he kissed her cheek in greeting.

"Hey Grandpa, nice to see you." Logan greeted to the older gentleman and shook his hand.

"Did you get those books I sent you?" his grandfather inquired.

"I did, thank you. Hey, Josh, it's been a while, you're looking well."

"You too." the other young man next to Honor said to him.

"Everyone, I'd like you to meet Rory Gilmore." Logan introduced me to the room and I smiled nervously.

"Hi. It's really nice to meet you all. This house is amazing. Seriously, there should be a docent at the door." I complimented the hosts honestly.

"Well, thank you, Rory." Logan's mother, Shira said to me with a polite smile.

"You know Rory's grandparents, Mom. Richard and Emily." Logan reminded her as he sat down on the couch and pulled me down next to him.

"Yes, of course. How are Richard and Emily doing?" Shira asked me, tilting her head to the side curiously. I saw Logan and Honor exchange a knowingly look but ignored them a kept my attention on their mother.

"They're doing very well." I informed her.

"Oh, that's wonderful." She said and then her expression lit up with happiness as she realised something. "Oh! If Emily and Richard are your grandparents, that makes you Christa's sister, correct?" she asked excitedly giving me a genuine smile for the first time that night.

"That's right. Christa and I are twins."

"How is she? I haven't spoken to her since the gala in New York a few months ago." She asked, frowning a little.

"She's great. I actually had lunch with her yesterday." Honor said happily, easing the tension in the room.

"She's such a darling girl." She said, her gaze landing pointedly on Logan. He just rolled his eyes at his mother and squeezed my hand that he was holding. "I heard she got the internship with Patricia DeRossi. That's quite the achievement."

"She's dating Colin, mom." Logan informed her and her smile faltered at the news. She didn't say anything to that and we all just sat in an awkward silence where the only noise was the swishing of ice cubes in Logan's grandfather's glass. I looking around nervously as the tension in the room increased. In that moment I couldn't help being a little jealous of Christa because she grew up in this society environment and would know exactly what to do. The Huntzberger's already seemed to love her.

"So, um, you were at the wedding, right?" I asked Shira, trying desperately to break the awkward silence in the room.

"Oh. Why, yes. We were. Oh, it was lovely. Emily certainly knows how to plan an event." She answered me with a tight, fake smile.

"That she does."

"I should send her a note."

"Hm." I agreed with nod and then I glanced over at Honor, who moved the word 'Josh' and pointed at the man next to her. I gave him a small smile and waved and he waved back at me.

"Hey, Grandpa, can I freshen your drink for you?" Logan asked his grandfather as he stood up at get him the drink. His grandfather grunted as he held his glass out to Logan, who took it from him.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Can we get you something, Rory?" Shira asked me and I began to shake my head but Logan cut off my answer.

"I got it, Mom." He said as he walked over to the makeshift bar in the corner of the room. I smiled my thanks at him as he came back and handed me a glass of club soda. Maid came rushing into the room with a tray and walked straight over to Shira. Mrs Huntzberger picked up the paper that was on the tray and read it.

"Apparently Mitchum is still at the office. We might as well start dinner." She announced and then stood up and gestured for everyone to follow her.

"Come on. You'll feel better when you've had some food." Honor whispered to Josh as they both stood up from the couch.

"I'll feel better when we're leaving." Josh muttered back to her and she rubbed his back comfortably.

"So sorry. We owe you one." Logan's sister said to me as she past me.

"No." I disagreed as we all heading for the dining room. I noticed a painting hanging on the wall and gaped at it. I froze were I was and stared at the painting. "Is that a Velazquez?" I asked, pointing at the painting in question.

"Come on." Logan said with chuckle as he pulled me away from the painting.

"It is! That's a Velazquez! This house is so cool!"

Later that night, we were bring served dinner in the dining room. We were all sitting down in an awkward silence and I shifted uncomfortably in my seat next to Logan.

"So, Grandpa, how's the new boat?" Logan asked his grandfather casually and I looked between them curiously.

"It's a boat. It floats." The older man answered shortly.

"I hear it's beautiful. When are you going to let me take her out?"

"Now, Logan, you don't have the best track record when it comes to boats." Shira interjected scoldingly but still very that polite fake smile plastered on her lips.

"Only other people's boats. Our boats are very safe."

"We should do a summer trip. Maybe hit the Amalfi Coast again? All of us. Rory, Josh, you, me." Honor suggested to Logan and I smiled a little at her gesture. Their grandfather slammed down his fork on the table and I jumped in surprise at the suddenly noise.

"Dad!" Shira exclaimed as she jumped as well.

"Maria!" Elias Huntzberger called out for a maid and came rushing to his side immediately and I was reminded of my grandmother's house.

"Yes, sir?" the maid, Maria asked cautiously.

"It's too hot. Bring me a salad."

"I'll be right back." Shira said suddenly and then stood up and walked out of the door quickly. Honor looked over at me and mimed smoking a cigarette so I looked at Logan for an explanation.

"What?" I asked with a confused frown.

"Mom's a stress smoker." He explained and I nodded in understanding.

"Oh. I don't understand why everyone's so upset. Josh seems fine." I whispered to Logan and he leaned over to whisper to me.

"The Huntzberger's aren't interested in fine."

"Shira!" Elias called from the head of the table.

"Yes, Dad?" I heard her answer from outside the room.

"What time did Mitchum say he'd be here?" the older Huntzberger asked as Shira re-entered the room, coughing a little and waving away some smoke.

"I don't know. He didn't say."

"Well, this is ridiculous!"

"Please, Dad."

"We're all just going to sit around this table and pretend there's nothing going on?"

"Let's just wait for Mitchum!" Shira pleaded helplessly to the older man as she sat back down at her seat.

"There are serious matters to be discussed here. This is an important family. Marrying into it is important business. But no, we can't discuss this until Mitchum gets here!" Elias shouted and then the maid brought him salad. "What is this? Go away!" he yelled at her and I flinched even though it wasn't directed at me.

"Okay, I'm sorry. I have to jump in here. Grandpa, we all respect you and Mom and Dad, but the bottom line here is, Honor has to be happy. Now, if she loves Josh, then –" Logan started to defend his sister's choice of husband and I smiled inwardly at the sight of him being protective of his older sister.

"Logan, I appreciate you defending me but I can take it from here. Mom, Grandpa, I had hoped that you would be happy for me, but obviously that's not going to happen. You didn't even let me announce it to you before you formed your opinion, and I'm sorry you feel the way you do, but Josh and I made it official last week. We are engaged now and no matter what you say, we are going to get married. In June." Honor announced confidently to her mother and grandfather and I noticed Josh swallow nervously as they awaited the older generations reply.

"Well, of course you're going to get married! You've been dating for three years, and I already put a hold on the Japanese Tea Garden for next spring." Shira said to her daughter as if it was obvious and everyone else frowned in confusion because we all thought the discussion was about them not wanting Honor to marry Josh.

"Oh. Well, that sounds great, thank you!" Honor said brightly, a little bit in awe of what had just happened.

"So we should celebrate then!" Logan said with a smile.

"We'll celebrate when we have finished our discussion!" Elias cried out and everyone but Shira looked at him in confusion.

"Which discussion?" Honor asked in confusion.

"The discussion about unsuitable people marrying into this family."

"What?"

"I'll be right back!" Shira said in a panic and then rushed out of the room again.

"You should know better than this, Logan! I know you like to joke around, and tease us, but I always thought at the end of the day, you understood what your responsibilities to this family were!" Elias said and Logan frowned deeply at him.

"Mom, I suggest you come back in here, right now!" Logan yelled loudly. Shira came back in the room but stayed hovering in the doorway.

"Logan, you just haven't thought about this. I mean, I'm sure Rory understands. She wants to work. Isn't that right, Rory? Emily's always talking about you wanting to be a reporter and travel around doing this and that. A girl like Rory has no idea what it takes to be in this family, Logan." Shira said to him and I frowned at her.

"Oh my God." Logan murmured, echoing my inner thoughts.

"She wasn't raised that way. She wasn't bred for it. And this isn't at all about her mother, it's just, you come from two totally different worlds. It's not about her mother, because you know we think Christa would be perfect." Shira continued and my mouth fell open at the mention of my twin sister.

"It would never work. Not for you, and certainly not for us." Elias picked up where Shira had left off.

"Okay, this conversation is going to end right now. I am not going to sit here –" Logan started to say but his grandfather cut him off.

"You are going to be taking over this company! That's what you are going to be doing! And when you do, you are going to need the right kind of person at your side. This isn't college, Logan!"

"If Christa isn't available at the moment, whatever happened to that Fallon girl? I loved her. Do you talk anymore?" Shira asked him.

"No, we don't talk! We never talked, you talked." Logan reminded her angrily.

"Oh, what a shame. I just loved her."

"Okay. Let's go." Logan said abruptly as he stood up from his seat. I silently followed him because I was still in shock about what had just happened in the dining room.

"Logan. You have to understand. You bring this girl home without any warning at all, and Honor tells us you're calling her your girlfriend! We have to take that seriously. Logan, come back here!" Shira called after us and I hurried to keep up with Logan as we walked into the parlour.

"I don't understand!" I said mostly to myself as we walked through the house.

"They're psychotic. What more is there to understand?" Logan spat.

"But why don't they think I'm good enough?"

"Rory."

"I mean, I'm a Gilmore! Do they know that? My ancestors came over on the Mayflower!" I said pointed out to him as we stopped in the parlour.

"Don't try to analyze it, there's no rhyme or reason!"

"I had a coming out party! I went to Chilton, and Yale, and why are they okay with Josh? I mean, he doesn't even say anything! At least I noticed the Velazquez! And they love Christa! We have the same ancestors. She also wants to be a magazine editor or a fashion designer, it's hard to keep track because she keeps switching." I rambled on to him, trying to make sense of what just happened and why they didn't like me.

"Josh isn't marrying the heir to the Huntzberger fortune, you are." Logan told me and my head snapped up at the word 'marrying'. I heard the door open and Logan's head snapped around so he must have heard it as well. "I've got to get out of here." He muttered to himself as a man I recognised as Mitchum Huntzberger, Logan's father entered the parlour.

"Logan! Perfect. Did they start dinner? Is it some sort of precious fish dish? 'Cause I'm dying for a steak. You're Rory, I assume. I've heard a lot about you from your grandparents and your sister. Christa just goes on and on about you." He said to me with a polite smile as he shook my hand.

"We're leaving." Logan told his father venomously.

"What? Why?" Mitchum asked in confusion.

"You know why."

"Had a long day, Logan. Don't want to play games. Is dinner over?"

"No. The Huntzberger family Shanghai is over. Dinner, however is still going on."

" Oh, okay. Okay. What happened?" he asked as he took a few steps closer to the dining room. "Oh, no. Why is your mother smoking?"

"We have to go. I'm sure they'll fill you in on everything."

"It was nice to meet you." I said to him as Logan dragged me out of the house.

* * *

**Christa POV:**

I was lying on Colin's bed on my stomach working on some new designs when my cell phone rang. I was distracted so I didn't check my caller ID before answering the phone. I assumed it would be Colin since he was in class while I hung out in his room.

"Hello?" I answered as I balanced the phone in between my ear and shoulder.

"You busy?" I heard Logan say and I rolled over on to my back with frown on my face as I heard his tone. I knew that tone because it was the one he used when something happened with his family, which was nearly every event.

"What's wrong?" I asked immediately.

"Dinner was awful." He stated matter-of-factly and I groaned because that meant that I also had to call Rory and check on her.

"Okay, hit it." I ordered him as I got comfortable on the bed.

"Well, to make a long story short, my family hates her."

"That's impossible. It's like hating Thumper. No one hates Thumper."

"They think she's trash. They think she's not good enough to marry into our family."

"What are they talking about? Don't they know she's a Gilmore and a Hayden?"

"I don't think they care."

"But they like me. And who said anything about marrying into their family?" I asked in confusion as I played with my hair.

"Apparently, me bringing her over for dinner said that she was going to marry into the family." He informed me.

"Uh, that's crazy."

"I know! But then they got all panicked and they started saying all these things –" he started to say.

"To her face?" I nearly shouted at thought of my sister being highjack like that.

"Right there at the dinner table!"

"What?"

"They went on and on about how she's going to be a career woman and Logan, you don't want that, she won't understand our lifestyle or the demands, or, or the family responsibilities!"

"What family responsibilities? Who are you, the Gambino's?" I snapped angrily.

"Then my mother starts in on you and that 'lovely Fallon girl' that I can't even remember the name of, and don't I see her anymore? Because she would make a perfect choice!" he growled furiously and I could hear him pacing on the other end of the phone.

"And what did you say?"

"I got really mad and I told them they were all crazy and then we left."

"Well, good for you." I said approvingly, nodding even though he couldn't see me.

"But we didn't say a word to each other all the way home. And then walking back to my dorm, I just felt so freaked out. I don't care what my family thinks. I should go see Rory. I left kind of rudely and I have to apologise for that and for my family." He said and I frowned in sympathy.

"Alright, I'll call Rory later and check on her. You should go see her, Logan." I agreed with him and then sighed into the phone. "I'm sorry about your family."

"Thanks. I'll see you later, Teek. Thanks for letting me vent."

"No problems. Bye." I said to him and then hung up the phone. I closed my eyes and shook my head in disgust as I thought about hoe the Huntzberger's treated Rory. I picked up my phone again and quickly texted a message to Rory.

Christa: I'm sorry. They are idiots!

Rory: I know. I'm okay.

I frowned at the phone and rolled back over onto my stomach to finish my sketching. I smiled to myself and thought myself luck that I had already met Colin's parents and I didn't have to worry about them not liking me. I heard the front door open and hoped that it was Colin and not Finn that had arrived back at the dorm. The door to Colin's bedroom opened and I smiled when I saw Colin walk into the room. He looked over at the bed and grinned when he saw me laying there.

"I'm beginning to think you live here." He joked as he came and sat down next to me. I packed away my sketch book and smiled up at him.

"It's crowded at my place. Doyle is sick so Paris is looking after him. Well, actually, Nanny is looking after him." I explained to my boyfriend but he just frowned in confusion.

"Why isn't Paris taking care of him?"

"She's freaked out by sick people." I said with a shrugged.

"She's pre-med!" he exclaimed and I giggled but didn't have an answer for him. He shook his head at my insane roommate and pressed a kiss to my temple. I rolled over on my back and smiled up at him as I bit my bottom lip seductively. He smiled me as he caught my train of thought and leaned down to kiss me senseless.


	20. Chapter 20

**How Many Kropogs to Cape Cod:**

Colin and I were in Stars Hollow to go to a concert that Lane's band was playing at. Lane had invited both me and Rory to the concert and Colin had practically invited himself once he learnt that I was going home to Stars Hollow. Since I had first brought him home, he had this weird fascination with the craziness that was Stars Hollow. Having met Kirk the first time he wanted to see the rest of the weirdo's that inhabited the town. We walked into Luke's diner to meet up with my mother.

"Rory and Christa's coming in tonight?" we heard Luke ask Mom as we walked into the diner. They hadn't noticed us yet as we walked over to them.

"Yeah, they're going to see Lane's band play at Positively Four Street tonight. They have the coveted three in the morning slot." Mom informed him as I led Colin over to the table she was sitting at.

"I hear that's how Zeppelin started." I said to her as I approached. Mom and Luke looked up at us and I smiled at them as I gave Luke a hug and Colin kissed Mom on the cheek in greeting. I gave Mom kiss on the cheek as Colin greeted Luke with a hand shake and then we sat down at the vacant seats at the table.

"Hey, kids!" Mom said enthusiastically to us and smiled brightly. "Colin, you got dragged into the concert too?"

"Actually, I invited myself." He informed her with a smirk and she quirked an eyebrow at him in question.

"He thinks Stars Hollow is his own personal mental asylum. Full of crazy's." I explained to them with a giggle.

"That's true." Luke agreed gruffly as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Yeah, anyway, Rory's genius plan is to come home, go to bed early, set the clock for two, get up and go rock." Mom told us.

"Solid plan." I said with a nod of my head.

"Yes, except that when the clock goes off at two, she will be dead asleep and won't hear it. I, however, will. I will then proceed to get up, drag myself downstairs, recreating a classic Zucker Brothers moment and then I'll shake her awake. She'll get up, throw on some jeans, a t-shirt, and no make-up and look like a Neutrogena ad, whereas once she leaves, I'll pass out on the couch, too exhausted to make it all the way upstairs, and in the morning I will have bags under my eyes that should have Tumi stamped on them. I love being a Mom." Mom ranted to us and we laughed at her.

"Aw. Are the guys in town unusually lonely these days?" I joked as I noticed two men carrying a mannequin down the street through the large glass window.

"No, they're from the museum. I think they're getting ready to close it." Luke told us and Mom frowned up at him.

"Close it? No! Why?" she asked him with a pout as she watched them move the mannequin.

"Oh, well, you know, no one was going."

"I was going." Mom argued with her boyfriend.

"Oh, well, you went once."

"No, I was going to go again! Just as soon as the nightmares about the 'I love Jesus' mannequin subsided."

"Well, you saw it once."

"I guess." Mom said with a defeated sigh. Mom then turned to me with a bright smile and I raised an eyebrow at her in suspicion. "Did you return the blue sweater?" she asked me innocently.

"Oh, no." I moaned in anticipation of her line of questioning and threw my head back as Colin chuckled next to me.

"Answer, please."

"Two days ago." I informed her impatiently.

"Why?" Mom whined to me and I smirked at her.

"Why? Because two days ago you asked me to take it back. Demanded me, in fact."

"And suddenly you're just so freakin' reliable, you just hop to it and do whatever I say?"

"I've always been freakin' reliable. It's how I was raised."

"You were raised by Christopher. No, you weren't." she argued with my.

"Yeah, that's true." I said with a shrug. "I am not returning the blue sweater again, so don't think about asking."

"But I want it, I need it."

"I've already returned the Capri pants twice. I've tried to return a couple of your other items that were all sales final, which makes me look retail simple. And this is not the first, but the second time I will have returned the blue sweater."

"Ooh, the Capri pants. Have you taken those back yet?"

"I can't show my face in any stores in New Haven. They think I'm Paper Mooning them."

"Oh, she was very cute in Paper Moon. You're very cute, too." Mom said gleefully and I frowned at her.

"Calling me cute is not going to persuade me."

"Colin help me out here!" Mom begged my boyfriend.

"Come on, babe. Help me win boyfriend points with your Mom." Colin said to me and I turned to look at him I disbelief but then I saw his pouting face and I grimaced because I knew that I was caving.

"Yeah, help him!" Mom added, pouting and giving me the same puppy dog face Colin was.

"Ah! Fine!" I agreed with them throwing my hands in the air in defeat.

"Yes!" Mom cheered while Colin and I chuckled at her. My head shot up as the bell at the door rang as it opened and Rory entered the diner with a shopping bag. She walked over to our table and fell down onto one of the seats.

"Here's your sweater, and I hope you're happy, because the saleswoman called me a name. Where's my pie?" Rory said in greeting to our mother and then handed the bag over to Mom.

"Luke! Pie!" I shouted over to him at the counter. Mom pulled a green sweater out of the bag and wrinkled her nose at it.

"What do we think?" she asked us as she held it up to her body.

"It's great." Rory said to her, sounding exhausted.

"Huh." Mom said dubiously as she looked down at the sweater. I leaned back in my chair with a smirk as I watched the two of them.

"No." Rory said plainly, already knowing where the conversation was heading based on that one word and the tone in mom's voice.

"I thought it was light green."

"No, it was dark green."

"Oh. Did they have one that was light green?"

"You are officially banned from ever shopping in New Haven again." Rory told her, exasperated and I chuckled under my breath.

"Well, thank God I have you and Christa to do it for me." mom countered brightly and I grimaced and leaned into Colin. Luke came over from the counter carrying two slices pie for me and Rory and coffee for all of us.

"Okay, so, other than your stylist duties, what else is going on in the life of the young and hopeful? Mom said us after Luke had left again.

"I'm trying to find an apartment to rent in New York for the summer. I need one close to DeRossi Styles and the club scene." I informed her with a shrug.

"I'm considering taking Russian." Rory supplied to the conversation.

"Oh, very practical. How's Logan?" mom asked her and I took a bit of the pie I was sharing with Colin.

"He's fine. Grandma and Grandpa invited him to dinner." She said and I busted out laughing at her misfortune.

"You're kidding." I said through my giggles.

"It was actually less of an invite and more of a freak-out. They heard about the dinner I went to."

"Heard how much?" mom asked sceptically and I raised an eyebrow in question as well.

"The Reader's Digest version." Rory told us and we nodded in understanding.

"Got it."

"Apparently they've already exceeded the polite reciprocal invite window, and if he doesn't come to dinner soon, Grandma has to give back her pearls."

"Wow. So, um, when is this dinner happening?" I asked her with a sympathetic frown.

"Three dates were proposed. Logan's picking one of them." Rory said to me and I snorted in amusement.

"Huh. So it should be an interesting evening." Mom added with a frown.

"Yep. I'll take notes and pictures." Rory told her with an amused smile and then her expression turned thoughtful. Her face brightened in realisation and she turned to me and Colin next to her. I leaned away from her and narrowed my eyes in suspicion. "You two should come with us!" she said excitedly and Colin and I shared a look before we both started laughing uncontrollably.

"Ha! Yeah, that's so not happening." I told her through my giggles.

"Why not? They have to meet him sooner or later."

"Later." Colin and I agreed at the same time and Rory rolled her eyes at us.

"Please. I'm begging you both. It will help take the pressure from me and Logan. We've only been boyfriend and girlfriend a week. Unlike you two who have been together for seven months." Rory pleaded with us and I sighed and adverted my eyes.

"Maybe we should." Colin said lowly and my gaze snapped up to meet his. "I do need to be introduced as your boyfriend at some point and it's not like you haven't met my parents and grandparents. Plus, I've met Francine." He pointed out with a shrug and I groaned out loud and sunk down in my seat because I knew that he was right.

"Fine." I ground out as I finished the last of my pie.

"Yes! Thank you, Christa, Colin." Rory said happily and I rolled my eyes at her while Colin kissed my temple.

* * *

Colin and I pulled up outside of Emily and Richard's house at the same time as Logan and Rory. I sighed loudly as we parked and Colin smiled in amusement at my discomfort.

"Come on. It won't be that bad." He promised naively and I shot him a disbelieving look as I climbed out of the car. He met me at the front of the car and entwined our hands as we walked to meet up with Logan and Rory as they got out of the car. Logan rushed around to Rory's side and opened the door for her like a gentleman but Rory had already opened the door herself.

"You know, you're not obligated to be polite until we're actually inside my grandparents' house." I heard her say in amusement as she climbed out.

"Good. Allow me to use these brief Moments of time to make disgusting noises with my armpits." Logan said in reply and we all chuckled as Colin and I joined them.

"Oh, would you?" Colin said to his best friend, announcing our presence.

"Don't take Logan being a gentleman for granted, Rory. It goes away with time." I told her, shooting a playful glare at Colin who held a hand to his heart in mock offense.

"Hey, stranger." Rory said in greeting and pulled me into a hug. I hugged her back and offered her a small smile as she pulled back. I gave Logan a kiss on the cheek as Rory and Colin hugged in greeting as well.

"God." I muttered as I looked up at the house in distaste. Colin put a comforting hand on the small of my back and gave me a gentle push forward.

"So, this is going to be quick and painless. Believe me, my grandparents like you better than they liked Ronald Reagan." Rory said to Logan, to try and ease his nerves about meeting Emily and Richard as her boyfriend.

"Wow. High praise." Logan said with wide eyes and then he opened the back door of his car and pulled out two wrapped boxes.

"What are those?" I asked in confusion when I saw them.

"Hostess gifts. Never a bad idea to bring hostess gifts." He answered me with a smirk and I chuckled at him.

"Well played, Huntzberger!" Rory praised him with a smile.

"Suck up." Colin accused him with a playful scowl and I kissed his cheek with a laugh.

"So what about your Mom? She going to be cool?" Logan said nervously and the other three of us laughed at him.

"Of course she'll be cool." Rory told him as if it was obvious.

"She's the essence of cool." I added.

"Cool's her street name." Rory continued.

"She's got it monogrammed on her towels and everything." I finished with a smirk.

"Well, if she's got it monogrammed on her towels, there's nothing to worry about." Logan concluded with an easy going smile at us. We walked up the steps reluctantly and Rory rang the doorbell once we reached the top.

"What'd you bring, anyway?" I asked Logan curiously.

"Cigars for Richard, chocolates for Emily, and Mrs Eleanor Shubick's silver lighter." Logan informed me and Colin and I nodded in understanding but Rory looked at him in confusion.

"Huh? What's that for?" she asked him with a frown. Logan opened his mouth to explain but was cut off by Emily and Richard opening the front door with wide smiles.

"Christa! Colin! Rory! Logan, welcome!" Emily said excitedly.

"Come in, come in!" Richard added and we all walked into the house.

"Hi, Grandma!" Rory and I said in unison.

"Hello! And our guests of honour." Emily said to Logan and Colin.

"How are you, Richard? Emily?" Colin asked politely and I had to smirk at the interaction.

"Wonderful, now." Emily answered him.

"Yes, wonderful." Richard agreed with his wife.

"And Logan how are you?" Emily asked him and I sighed in relief that the spotlight was off me and Colin. I glanced at my boyfriend and smiled when I saw him looking back at me. He grabbed my hand and pulled me to the side so that my grandparent's attention was solely on Rory and Logan.

"I'm fine, thank you Emily." Logan told her with a society polite smile plastered on his lips.

"Oh, look at you two, you're just perfect. Aren't they perfect, Richard?" Emily gushed at them and I had to hold back a laugh.

"Perfect." Richard agreed with his wife once more and I rolled my eyes at them since they weren't paying attention.

"We're not perfect." Rory argued with an embarrassed smile.

"Nonsense, you're perfect!" Emily exclaimed.

"No, she's right. I've got split ends like you wouldn't believe." Logan joked and Emily and Richard both laughed.

"And a sense of humour." Richard complimented him.

"Emily, these are for you. A small token of my gratitude." Logan said and then glanced over at Colin with malicious smirk that no one but us noticed. Colin shook his head and mouthed the words 'suck up' to him and I pressed my lips together to stop from laughing at them. I rubbed Colin's arm comfortingly and offered him a sympathetic smile.

"Vunderschen chocolates, I absolutely adore these!" Emily told Logan happily.

"I picked them up last time I was in Switzerland."

"Well, aren't you clever."

"And here's a little something for you, sir." Logan said to Richard and then handed him the other box.

"Oh, Romeo y Julietas. You are a good man, Logan Huntzberger!" Richard said to him with a smile.

"Come on, let's all go in the living room, shall we?" Emily said and I sighed in relief because I really wanted to get tonight over with. Emily took one of my arms and one of Colin's and dragged us forward into the living room. I glanced back and noticed Richard doing the same thing to Logan and Rory.

"I just adore this jacket you're wearing. Isn't this a fine jacket, Richard?" Emily said to Logan as we entered the living room and I scowled at the ridiculousness of the night.

"Oh, I like how the lapels are cut. Aren't those nice lapels, Rory?" Richard added.

"Uh, sure, Grandpa. His lapels look great." Rory agreed uncomfortably.

"Most modern tailors cut lapels too low. It's so sloppy, having one's lapels hang down around the chest like a basset hound's ears or something."

"But those are excellent." Emily said and I felt the urge to bury my head in Colin's chest so I didn't have to hear any more of the lapel talk but reframed.

"Oh, they really are." Richard concluded and I rolled my eyes and glanced at Colin to see him chuckling at the events unfolding in front of him. I lightly smacked his chest with the back of my hand and he gave me an innocent look that made me smile back at him.

"Hi, Mom." I heard Rory say brightly so I turned around and smiled when I saw her sitting on the couch.

"Hey, how am I sitting?" Mom asked her.

"Great. Mom, you remember –"

"Logan, this is Christa and Rory's mother, Lorelai. Lorelai, this is Logan Huntzberger." Emily introduced them, interrupting Rory.

"Yes, we've met, actually. Nice to see you again, Logan." Mom said politely as she shook hands with Logan.

"Nice to see you." Logan replied equally as polite.

"And Lorelai, this is Colin. Colin, this is Lorelai." Richard introduced them, not knowing that they had already met.

"Actually, we've met, Dad. How are you Colin?" Mom asked happily as she stood up and gave Colin a hug in greeting, like she had since they met at the triple date before we were even dating. Colin returned the hug and smiled at her as they pulled apart.

"Since I saw you a few days ago? Not much. Your daughter thinks that coconuts are a fruit." Colin joked and I playful hit me in the arm but I was smiling as he and Mom both laughed at me.

"Shut up." I said playfully to Colin as I gave Mom a kiss on the cheek and then sat down on the couch next to her. Colin joined me and I linked ours hands together with smile, feeling more relaxed now that Mom was there as well.

"Come on, sit, sit, sit. Let's get drink orders." Emily said to everyone and Logan and Rory sat on the opposite couch. "Logan, Colin, what will you have?"

"McKellen neat, if you have it." Logan said to her with a smile.

"The same, please." Colin said and I noticed Mom looking disapproving. I leaned over to whisper in her ear.

"He's over twenty one." I told her and as relaxed a little even though so she knew that I drank and I was only twenty.

"Oh, I adore a man who drinks his scotch neat." Emily gushed to them.

"That is a fine drink indeed." Richard said approvingly as he went over to the drink cart in the corner of the room.

"Rory?"

"Just club soda." Rory answered her.

"So demure. Isn't she demure?" Emily asked Logan and I scrunched my eyebrows in distaste at their behaviour because it was obvious they were trying to marry her off.

"The demurest." Logan agreed.

"And, Christa, martini?" Emily asked me and I frowned up at her.

"Actually, I'll a scotch too." I told her and I felt Colin squeeze my hand. Emily gave me a disapprovingly look but didn't say anything. "I'm going to need it." I whispered to Colin and he chuckled and rubbed little circles on my hand with his thumb to calm me.

"And your usual, Lorelai? A sidecar?"

"Sidecar? No." Mom said to her in confusion.

"Isn't that your drink?"

"No, my drink is a martini. It's always been a martini."

"Really?"

"Yes. Pretty much every one of the other eight thousand times I've had a drink here it's been a martini."

"I would've sworn you were a sidecar girl."

"Not even sure what's in a sidecar, Mom."

"Well, Richard, apparently Lorelai would like a martini." Emily told her husband with a wave of her hand.

"Can do." Richard said from the drink cart.

"I just can't get over those lapels." Emily said to Logan with a happy smile on her face and I shook my head in amusement.

"Grandma and Grandpa are very taken with Logan's lapels." Rory informed our mother.

"They look fine to me." Mom said with a nod of her head.

"You'll have to excuse Lorelai, Logan. It takes a certain eye to be aware of this kind of thing. You know Colin, Christa's very talented with fashion. She recently got a very sort after internship with Patricia DeRossi that's taking place in New York over the summer." Emily praised me and I smiled genuinely at her for the first time that night.

"I know. I'm very proud of her." Colin said to my grandma but his gaze was on me and I blushed a little under his gaze but I smiled at him gratefully. He squeezed my hand and kissed my temple and I heard my grandmother sigh at the gesture.

"Three scotches neat, and a club soda." Richard said as he brought over all our drinks. Logan, Colin and I all hurried to take our drinks.

"Thank you." Colin said.

"Thank you, Richard." Logan told the older man.

"Thanks, Grandpa." Rory and I said to the same time.

"And one martini." Richard said as he returned to the bar to make Mom's drink for her.

"That's with a twist, Lorelai?" Emily asked her daughter, purposely messing up the drink order.

"Nope. An olive." Mom corrected her.

"In a vodka martini?"

"Not vodka, Mom. Gin. It's always been gin. Gin martini."

"Really?"

"Yes! Always!"

"I don't remember that at all."

"Uh, so. Logan. Where exactly do you live at Yale? Are you in Christa and Rory's building?" Mom said, changing the subject because I could tell she was getting irate.

"No, I'm at Berkeley." Logan told her politely as he took a sip of his drink.

"Is that far from Rory?"

"No, I'd say it's about ninety Kropogs or so."

"Kropogs! Did somebody say Kropogs?" Richard asked excitedly as he came back over with Mom's drink.

"Kropogs. Now that is clever." Emily said with a laugh and I couldn't help smiling a little at the word.

"Uh, fill me in here. What's a Kropog?" mom asked in confusion.

"Years ago, someone at Yale started measuring things based on the height of a kid named Kropog." Colin explained to her with a smile.

"I can't believe that today's Elis are still using Kropogs. Now that is really something. Maxwell T. Kropog was his name, class of forty-four. Oh, Lorelai, I'm sorry. I forgot your drink." Richard said as he handed it to her and she gratefully accepted it before he sat down. "I'm glad to hear that Kropog is still part of the Yale vernacular. Tradition is so important."

"Why don't we talk about something other than Yale?" I suggested when I saw mom still looking a little confused at the conversation.

"Nonsense, there's nothing better to talk about than Yale. Because Yale men are the greatest. I dated a few Princeton men and a Harvard man back in my day, and they had nothing on Yale men." Emily said with a smile and I grimaced at the thought.

"They'd better not." Richard said playfully to his wife. A little while later, I was bored out of my mind listening to Emily and Richard fawning over Rory, Logan and Colin. Mom and I sat side by side occasionally sharing grimaces and sympathetic smiles. I looked down at my empty scotch glass and wished that it was full again. I glanced at mom and saw her frowning down at her empty martini glass which hadn't been refilled since the beginning of the night.

"And the racquets have changed too. Honestly, the people at the club must have thought I was there to play badminton when I showed up with my old wooden thing." Emily said to Logan and I shook my head in boredom at the conversation.

"Oh, you have to get a new racquet, Emily. The materials available today make all the difference." Logan told her.

"I told her the same thing." Richard told him pointedly, giving Emily a look that she just rolled her eyes at.

"I know this guy, he's one of the top manufacturers of ceramic racquets. Pete Sampras loves them. I could totally set you up." Logan offered to them and Colin and I shared a look and I mouthed the words 'suck up' to him. He laughed at me silently and pressed kiss to my cheek.

"Did you hear that, Richard? Logan can set me up!" Emily exclaimed excitedly to her husband.

"Well, how about that!" Richard said with a jovial smile. I heard the click clack of shoes and turned to see the maid entering the living room.

"Dinner is ready, Mrs Gilmore." The maid announced politely.

"Well, shall we?" Richard said to the room.

"I'm just going to pop into the kitchen to check on a thing or two. Richard, will you come carve the roast?" Emily asked her husband and I sighed in relief at the mention of food.

"Certainly."

"Is there going to be alcohol with dinner, Mom?" mom asked Emily as she stood up from the couch and I giggled at her but silently agreed with the need for alcohol to get through this dinner.

"What?" Emily questioned, sounding disapproving.

"You know, booze? 'Cause I haven't been able to get even a Kropog of gin since that first drink."

"A Kropog is a unit of distance, Lorelai. Not volume." Richard corrected her impatiently.

"And there'll be wine with the meal. There's always wine with the meal, Lorelai! Honestly! You're acting as if you've never been here." Emily said to her in exasperation and then left the room with Richard following her. the five of us all just sat there awkwardly and Colin and I shared an amused look at each other.

"Well, this is awkward." I stated matter-of-factly as I recrossed my legs.

"We could make out?" Colin suggested to him with a half-smile.

"'Cause that would make it less awkward." I replied with a smirk and mom playfully slapped my arm as she giggled at us. The awkward silence continued as I tried not to make anymore inappropriate comments.

"Roast. Sounds good." Logan said to the room and I pressed my lips together to keep from laughing.

"It does." Rory agreed with her boyfriend.

"Yeah. Who doesn't like a good roast?" mom asked rhetorically.

"Vegatarians?" I suggested playfully.

"Vegans?" Colin added, making me chuckled at him. We got up from our seats and walked towards the dining room. Mom, Colin and I walked ahead to the dining room but I glanced back and noticed that Logan and Rory were still back in the living room. I paused in the doorway and waited from them.

"What are you doing?" I heard Rory ask Logan in a hush whisper.

"A little Life and Death Brigade business. Every time we're in a rich person's house we take a knick-knack. Then I leave the knick-knack I took from the last rich person's house. I've been doing this up and down the eastern seaboard for years." Logan explained to her and I smirked as I watched him pick up a small box from a nearby table and replace it with the lighter that he pulled from his pocket.

"Logan, no." Rory protested weakly as she looked around to make sure no one but me saw them.

"Trust me. They never notice."

"You're crazy!" she said to him with a smile on her lips.

"It's fun to be crazy." Logan told her with a smile of his own. I shook my head a the two of them and walked into the dining room where mom and Colin were waiting. After we all ate dinner the maid served us coffee and dessert.

"Believe me, Rory's the real star at the Yale Daily News. People hate her." Logan said proudly to Richard and Emily and I rolled my eyes playfully as I sipped my coffee.

"They hate you?" Emily asked her, impressed with her granddaughter.

"I'm not hated. Am I hated?" Rory asked in disbelief.

"I hate you a little bit." I told her playfully as she mock glared at me from across the table.

"She's had more pieces printed above the fold this year than anyone." Logan informed everyone.

"Well, you are both enormously talented. Because if you have one tenth of your father's ability, young man, you are going to go straight to the top." Richard complimented Logan.

"A power couple. That's what you are." Emily said with a wide smile and I shared an amused look with Colin and then mom.

"We were thrilled to hear that Rory is going to be working with your father, Logan."

"I'm not really working with him. Just near him, more like." Rory corrected them and I frowned at the mention of Logan's father because I hadn't spoken to him since the dinner Rory had at the Huntzberger's.

"She's knocking them dead over there. Now if I can just get her to relax." Logan said with a smile at Rory.

"I relax." Rory protested, looking defiantly at him and I snorted at her because I knew that she most certainly didn't relax.

"Speaking of relaxation, does your family still have their place on Martha's Vineyard?" Emily asked Colin. Colin gave me a look that I smirked at before turning back to Emily with a society polite smile in place.

"I think they bought it from Martha. They're not giving that up. It's not going anywhere." He told her with a chuckle.

"It's lovely in the vineyard. A few years ago, Richard and I attended a wedding there. I thought there could be no more gorgeous a spot for a wedding."

"It's beautiful."

"But then we went to one on Cape Cod and it was wonderful too. Either place would be good for a wedding, don't you think?" Emily asked, addressing her question at both of us and I immediately tensed up at the mention of weddings. I looked over at mom to help me defuse the situation before it got out of hand. Mom frowned at me in sympathy and then glared at Emily.

"Sure, I've been to weddings at the Cape myself." Colin said politely, squeezing my hand reassuringly when my body stiffened.

"So you like Cape Cod?" Emily asked him coyly and I glared at her.

"Yes."

"We like Cape Cod." She said, meaning her and Richard and I nearly groaned out loud.

"Great." Colin answered and I could hear the tightness in his voice and felt my impatience wavering.

"And I know Christa would like Cape Cod."

"I like what I've seen in pictures." I answered her sharply.

"You two would look awfully cute in Cape Cod." Emily finished with a grin and I glanced at Colin and saw him grinning cheekily at me. I dug my nails into his hand and then smiled in satisfaction when he pressed his lips together to keep from calling out in pain.

"Mom, did you get a job at the Cape Cod chamber of commerce?" mom asked Emily shortly when she noticed me glowering at my grandmother.

"No." Emily answered, equally as short and then she smiled brightly at Colin and I. "There are a lot of kids in your family, aren't there?"

"Yeah. The extended family's been pretty busy procreating lately." Colin replied nervously.

"They have, have they?" Richard asked coyly and my eyes narrowed at him before I went back to glaring at Emily.

"Do you like kids?" Emily asked him brightly.

"Sure." Colin said with a nod of his head.

"Kids love Cape Cod." She said to him and I looked at mom pleadingly for her to stop the conversation.

"I think internships are a Communist plot." Mom announced loudly and everyone looked at her in surprise. I muffled a laugh with my hand and smiled at her in thanks.

"What?" Richard asked what in an offended tone.

"Forcing someone to work without pay? It's a little Pinko, isn't it? I mean, where's Roy Cohn when you need him?"

"Have you lost your mind?" Emily asked her, outraged.

"No, no. It's still sloshing around up there." Mom answered her, shaking her head from side to side. Emily rolled her eyes at her daughter and turned back to Rory with a smile. I turned my attention to mom and mouthed a 'thank you' and she nodded back at me. I sighed in relief and I released my tight hold on Colin's hand. He smiled at me in sympathy and lifted my hand to press a kiss to the back of my hand. I smiled at him slightly and he smiled back at me.

"Would you like another apple, Rory?" Emily asked her.

"Oh, no thanks. They were really good, though." Rory answered her.

"How about you, Logan? Apple?"

"Thank you, but I don't think I could eat another thing, and unfortunately we should be going. I have an early day tomorrow." Logan said to her, making an excuse to leave.

"Oh, Logan, an early day. I'm so sorry we kept you."

"I wish I could stay longer."

"An early day is an early day. Beatrice, get their coats." Emily called to the maid as everyone stood up from the table.

"I had a wonderful time. Thank you so much."

"Yes, thank you, Grandma and Grandpa. It was great." Rory added and I made a face at her sincerity.

"Of course. We had a wonderful time too." Emily told the couple with a smile.

"I'll you see tomorrow, Christa?" Rory asked me and I gave her and hug as I nodded.

"See you tomorrow." I said to her and gave Logan a kiss on the cheek as Rory said goodbye to Colin by giving him a hug.

"Bye, Mom." Rory said as she gave mom a hug.

"Bye, hon. Goodnight, Logan." Mom said as she shook his hand.

"Nice to see you again." Logan said to her with a smile.

"Nice seeing you again, too. I hope we can all do this –" mom started to sat but Emily cut her off.

"Lorelai, don't keep them. Logan has an early day tomorrow." Emily scolded her daughter.

"Sorry." Mom apologised as Emily and Richard walked Rory and Logan to the front door. Mom sat back down at the dining room table and leant her head in her hands with her elbows on the table. I sat down next to her and rubbed little circles on her back to calm her down. I glanced at Colin and gave him a look meaning that it was time to go as well.

"Mommy." I said in a childlike voice and she looked up at me with her eyebrows raised, knowing that I wanted something from her. She waited for me to continue expectantly so I sighed and put on an innocent smile. "It's time for Colin and I to go."

"I know, baby." She assured me and smiled at me. I stood up and gave her a hug as we headed for the front door. Colin gripped my hand as we said goodbye to my grandparents and it wasn't until we were sitting in the car on the way back to Yale that I finally breathed a sigh of relief. Colin and I hadn't ever spoken about the future. I had never really thought about the future revolving around my personal relationships. For years I had been hell bent on not even being in a relationship so marriage was something that I hadn't ever considered. I glanced over at Colin in the driver's seat and smiled softly as I thought that maybe marriage wouldn't be so bad. If you found the right person.


	21. Chapter 21

**Blame Booze and Melville:**

It was Friday night and Mom, Rory, Emily and I were eating fondue for dessert after our weekly Friday night dinner.

"This feels so decadent. Isn't this decadent?" Emily asked brightly, looking between the three of us using skewers to dip marshmallows in the melted chocolate.

"Very decadent." Rory and I agreed at the same time and I smirked at her in amusement.

"Are there more marshmallows?" Mom asked Emily curiously.

"All you two have been dipping is the marshmallows! You haven't touched the kiwi, or the pineapple, or the tangelo slices." Emily accused Rory and Mom and I bit into a strawberry.

"But it's fruit." Rory said matter-of-factly with a shrug.

"Fruit is good for you." I pointed out to her with a grin.

"We're fondue purists."

"Yeah, we dip old school." Mom agreed with Rory as she dipped another marshmallow.

"The government says you should have nine servings of fruit and vegetables per day." Emily informed them and I snorted because there was no way we ate that much fruit or vegetables a day.

"Imperialist propaganda." I accused playfully as I ate another strawberry.

"I think Noam Chomsky would agree." Rory said to me with a grin.

"I bet Noam doesn't dip fruit." Mom added to our conversation.

"Or laugh. Ever seen that punim on him?" I asked her with a raised eyebrow.

"Easter Island." Mom agreed with a slow nod.

"Luminista, please bring more marshmallows." Emily called out to the maid of the week with an eye roll.

"Bless you."

"So, I'd love to get your opinion on something."

"Sure." Rory said with a shrug.

"I'm very opinionated." I told them all with a smirk as Mom snorted at the understatement.

"The City Ballet is in trouble. We've given so much over the years, but it's never enough to cover everything they need." Emily told us.

"I hate that." Rory said to her.

"So, we're trying something new. Select patrons, such as myself, are sponsoring individual dancers. Help me pick one." Emily requested as she opened up a blue folder that the next to her on the table. I hesitantly took the cards that she handed me and watched as she passed some to Mom and Rory as well.

"Pick what?" I asked her as I looked at the card suspiciously.

"My dancer! I get to take one home. Bios are on the back."

"And this is legal?" Mom asked her, not looking up from the cards in front of her.

"Of course it's legal."

"Do you want a boy or a girl, Grandma?" Rory asked her with a shrug as she looked over the cards of ballet dancers. I shrugged as well and continued to search through the photographs.

"I'm thinking a little girl. Cute and petite."

"They're all petite." Rory argued with her.

"But not all cute. This one should fouetter over to the dermatologist." I said with a laugh as I held up the photo for the three of them to see.

"Oh, yes, I'd rather not look at that." Emily agreed with a grimace as she looked away from the girl on the card and I giggled as I put the photo down.

"Really, Mom, this is a little bit creepy." Mom told her.

"It's not creepy! We're endowing dancers so that they don't have to worry about money. It's nice."

"Well, Gregorio here looks pretty well-endowed already." Mom said with a chuckle as she passed me the card in her hand. I giggled at the guy in the photo and raised an eyebrow at her in agreement.

"Here's a little cutie patootie." Rory said as she passed a card to Emily.

"Oh, she's darling! Look at those little feet!" Emily exclaimed happily as I passed the Gregorio card to Rory for her to look at.

"Whoa, you were right! This Gregorio guy, what's up with that?"

"Rory!" Emily said scandalously.

"Just a little girl talk, Mom. Who are we offending?" Mom said to her, waving her hand dismissively.

"Let's make two piles. One for the maybes, one for the nos."

"Sandpaper face is a no?" I asked her with a small smile.

"Definitely."

"What about Endowment Boy?" Rory asked her with a smirk as she held up the photo for Emily to see. Emily peered at it for a second before nodding her head with a smirk.

"The maybes."

"You go, Grandma." Rory and I said at the same time.

"I bet Gregorio would be good dipped in chocolate." I added to Mom but loud enough that everyone could hear. Rory and Mom started laughing at the comment and Emily looked at me disapprovingly so I bowed my head. "Sorry." I muttered as I pouted and Mom patted my hand silently. After dinner, Rory, Mom and I were in the driveway of Richard and Emily's house. I watched in amusement as Mom and Rory transferred boxes from the trunk of Rory's car to the back of Mom's Jeep.

"I don't know. Adopting a ballet dancer? The whole thing sounds very shady." Mom said to us as she loaded a box into the Jeep.

"It's good to support the arts any way we can, even the shady-sounding ways. Hey, you took my book bag! I need that!" Rory said as she watched Mom load her book bag into the Jeep.

"Oops, sorry." Mom apologised as she pulled the bag back out of the Jeep.

"So you really think that transferring your stuff bit by bit like this is the way to go, huh? Easier than renting something, doing it all at once?" I asked her in amusement as I leaned against the side of her car.

"Oh, you really want to re-live the U-Haul incident of May 2004?" Rory asked me, giving Mom a pointed look as she talked.

"Ah! You make one iffy U-turn." Mom exclaimed indignantly.

"We were in a tunnel!"

"A wide tunnel."

"Going the wrong way down a one-way street."

"They don't let you forget." Mom said with a sigh.

"Yeah, I've got that elephant's memory when it comes to nearly dying." Rory retorted and I snorted in amusement.

"I'm really glad I wasn't there." I added to the argument.

"Hey, you took my book bag again!" Rory said to Mom with a frown when she saw her book bag in the Jeep again. Mom gasped and got the bag out of the car again and handed it to Rory.

"So, hey. Let's finalize our plans for Thursday." I told them.

"Right. So Jackson says that Sookie has been napping between eleven and twelve-thirty every day. We can count on it." Mom said to us, rubbing her hands together excitedly.

"Must be nice to nap without feeling guilty." Rory said with a dramatic sigh and I rolled my eyes at her.

"Get pregnant and you'll have an excuse." I said to her with a playful smirk.

"No thanks."

"So, meet me at their house at noon. Bring decorations and she'll wake up to a nice, fun, surprise baby shower." Mom concluded and I nodded to her.

"You got it." Rory said to her, giving her a nod.

"I think it's cool we waited this long to throw it. She's totally not going to expect it."

"Plus we forgot." I added.

"But only we know that." Mom said to me with a shrug and I chuckled at her.

"And I'm not telling." Rory told us.

"Good. Bye, hon." Mom said to her as Rory gave her a kiss on the cheek. Rory closed the trunk of her car and then looked around in confusion.

"Mom, my purse!" she exclaimed when she realised that it wasn't anywhere.

"Oh, sorry." Mom said and then gestured hopelessly to the fully packed Jeep. I laughed at the misfortune and sauntered over to my own car.

"Bye, bye!" I called out in amusement as they threw me dirty looks. I climbed into my car with a laugh and drove away from them.

* * *

I grabbed my coffee from the counter and smiled my thanks to the cute guy that had served me. I took a sip as I walked away, wandering around aimless. I had just finished an article for the Yale Daily News and now I really needed something to distract me. I sighed and pulled out my cell phone so that I could call one of my friends to hang out with me. Normally, I would have just called Rory, Colin or Logan but I knew that Colin was in class, Rory was at her internship and I had no idea where Logan was. I scrolled through my contacts trying to choose who to ring first when I saw a familiar looking body walk past. I excitedly stood up and chased after the person. I jumped onto his back and he stumbled under my weight. I giggled as he steadied himself and I heard him sigh as he realised that it was only me attacking him.

"Hello there, Christa." Marty said happily and I grinned as I climbed off his back.

"Hi, Marty." I said brightly as I linked my arm through his. "Where are we heading?" I asked him curiously.

"I'm going to the library. I'm not sure where you're going."

"Hell." I answered him with a shrug and he laughed at me. I had only seen Marty a handful of times since we all went out to a group dinner back when Rory had first started dating Logan. Marty had been in love with Rory since freshman year and seeing her with Logan just about broke his fragile little heart. I didn't think Marty and Rory had spoken since that night because Rory had rejected him in favour of Logan. While I absolutely loved my best friend, Marty was a total sweetheart and he deserved to be happy as well. I made sure to catch up with him at least once every two weeks for coffee because I really need someone to keep my down to earth and Marty was perfect for that. We walked together in companionable silence until Marty stopped suddenly and I was pulled to a stop as well. I stumbled a little at the sudden stop and I looked up at him in confusion. I frowned when I saw him staring ahead of us and I followed his gaze to a table in the courtyard. I smirked when I saw a familiar looking red head sitting alone at one of the tables. The girl was sitting drinking a cup of coffee and reading a novel like she did nearly every day. I had met her when she was working in the library for her scholarship. Ever since we had been friends and hung out every now and then. I looked up at Marty's face and saw him gazing at her, looking love-struck. Getting an idea, I grabbed Marty's hand and started pulling him forward. He didn't even notice at first and just let his feet carry him as I guided him but then he realised what I was doing a stopped in the middle of the path. I turned and frowned up at him.

"No." he said to me, shaking his head violently.

"Why not?" I asked him curiously as I tilted my head and placed a hand on my hip. He looked at me with a panicked expression and I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Because I have no idea what to say. I can't talk to her."

"Yes you can. Just talk to her about yourself." I suggested with a shrug and he frowned at me. I rolled my eyes and grabbed his hand again. He resisted my urging but I gave him a look and he swallowed sharply but let my pull him along. We got closer to the table and I smiled brightly. "Hey, Kayla!" I called out the red head and her head shot up in surprise. When she saw me approaching her, she smiled brightly and pushed her glasses further up her nose.

"Hey, Christa." She said in greeting and I stopped in front of her table, with Marty in tow.

"Kayla, this is my friend Marty. Marty, this is my friend Kayla." I introduced them to each other and Marty smiled weakly and waved while Kayla blushed and waved back. I smiled to myself and pushed Marty down into one of the spare seats. I sat down on another one of the seats and the three of us started chatting together. At first, Marty and Kayla were both quiet and shy around each other and I was other as a buffer for the two. As the conversation went on though, the two found that they had many common interests and started to become more animated in the conversation until I wasn't needed at all. I made an excuse to leave the two of them alone. Well it wasn't really an excuse since I needed to go shopping for a cocktail dress. I said goodbye to my friends and walked towards the exit of the courtyard. I smiled as I looked back at the two of them and bit my lip as I thought about how perfect they were for each other.

I was standing in a small boutique looking for the perfect dress to wear to Honor's engagement party when my phone rang from inside my purse. I looked around the store before I pulled it out and check the caller ID. I smiled as I pressed the answer button and held it up to my ear.

"Why is it that no matter how hard I try I can't find the perfect dress?" I asked her in greeting.

"The universe hates you?" my mother suggested playfully.

"Hmm. That may be it." I played along with her as I balanced the phone between my shoulder and ear so that I could continue searching the dress selection.

"Guess what I have in my hand? An advanced copy of the magazine that printed the article about the inn!" Mom squealed happily.

"Oh my God!" I exclaimed excitedly with a wide smile. "I'm so proud of you! I've got to get a copy."

"You've got a connection." She told me playfully. "I'll let you one."

"I want to get a bunch, though. Frame one or two of them. How's the article? What's it say?"

"It was then, sadly, that I discovered Christa could not read."

"You know what I mean." I insisted with a giggle as I searched through a rack of cocktail dresses.

"People are going to think I wrote it. I mean, it's big. I nearly cried when I read it." Mom told me giddily.

"Good."

"And the fact that when Emily Gilmore reads it, she's going to hire men to attack me with tire irons, well, that's something else altogether." Mom said to me and I grimaced a little.

"What'd they put in?" I asked cautiously.

"Not every heinous thing I said about her, but enough. I mean, its good stuff, its funny." Mom said a little too brightly and then her voice turned thoughtful. "Maybe if I just told them not the face."

"Who?" I asked in confusion, tilting my head to the side as I studied a blue dress.

"The guys, with the tire irons." Mom explained and I sighed at her.

"I think you should just show it to her and get it over with."

"Mm, maybe. Yeah. You're probably right." She agreed with a sigh. "What are you doing that you need the perfect dress?"

"I'm going to Logan's sister's engagement party. I'm actually really good friends with Honor and she asked me to be a bridesmaid." I explained to her excitedly. "The party's on Friday night."

"Well, if you can't find anything, you have enough time to make something, right?" Mom suggested and I immediately brightened.

"You're right. I do have time to make something. And I already have a design in mind." I said coyly as I thought about the one shouldered cocktail I had sketched earlier in the week.

"Glad I could help." Mom said brightly and I giggled at her. "Okay, well, I just wanted to brag about my article. I'll see you Thursday for the surprise baby shower?"

"Of course. Rory's going to get the decoration and meet us there." I told her.

"Alright. Bye, babe."

"Bye, Mom." I said to her before hanging up and smiling at the dress. I put it back up on its hanger and left the store without it.

* * *

On the Thursday, Mom and I were waiting impatiently for Rory to arrive at Sookie's house with the decorations for the surprise baby shower we were throwing her. We only had a limit amount of time to set up the decoration while Sookie took her nap and Rory was running late. I tapped my foot and looked at my phone to check the time. I bit back a groan as I heard a car pull up in front of the house where Mom and I stood. Rory hurried out of the driver's seat and Mom walked over to stand in front of the car.

"Hi, you're late." Mom said in greeting to my twin sister.

"Sorry. Oh, it's only a little after noon. I'm not that late." Rory argued and I rolled my eyes as I went to stand next to Mom in support.

"Well, we have very limited time during Sookie's nap, here. We just don't want to blow it." I told her pointedly.

"Hold on." Mom said, holding up her hand as if she could physically stop the words. I followed her gaze to the bags that Rory was carrying out of the car and raised an eyebrow at my twin. "You went to Doose's for baby shower decorations?"

"Well, I didn't know where else to go." Rory said to us and Mom and I shared an unbelieving look.

"A decoration store." I said as if it was obvious.

"Is there such a thing?"

"Yes."

"What did you get?" Mom asked, trying to break up the fight that was about to happen if it wasn't squashed. I folded my arms of my chest and waited for Rory to answer her.

"Um, poppers. Taylor had nine left." Rory answered Mom and I chuckled a little at her poor party planning skills. I guessed that all the party planning that I had done in the Life and Death Brigade had help hone my skills.

"Okay, well, there are ten of us, so someone doesn't get to pop."

"Well, I'll pass on the pop. And there's plates, and cups, and –"

"Chicks being hatched? That's Easter." I said as I grabbed the package of paper cups and studied them.

"No, I know, but I figured hatching is birth, so we're right on topic there. Seventy precent off, too."

"What else?" Mom asked her with an amused smile. Now that my anger at her for being late was gone, I found her attempt at baby shower decorations amusing as well.

"Uh, New Year's Eve balloons with Father Time and the New Year's baby on them. We'll blow them up and cheat the old man side to the wall so we can't see it, and then change the word 'year' so it says 'happy new baby'."

"Oh, that's just sad." I stated with a chuckle as I took one of the bags off of her.

"Hey, what's with the attitude?" she asked both me and Mom, looking between us.

"No attitude." Mom huffed.

"You were late." I explained plainly.

"You've been Anne Sexton since I pulled up." Rory said to Mom.

"Sorry. Think I just slept a little funny. All right. Come on, let's get up in there while we still have the chance." Mom said to us and Rory and I both just shrugged and followed her up to the front door. As we approached the front door, it was suddenly thrown open and Jackson and a heavily pregnant Sookie burst through the door. Rory, Mom and I all yelped in surprise as the couple pushed passed us on the way to the car.

"Look out! Coming through!" Jackson yelled frantically.

"It's happening! It's happening!" Sookie screeched as they passed us.

"Oh my God, it's happening?" Mom and I asked at the same time.

"You mean it's happening, happening?" Rory asked them, and I noticed her go a little pale.

"It's coming round the mountain." Sookie confirmed for us.

"Oh, I can't watch this!" Rory exclaimed and grimaced.

"Go get her suitcase! It's by the front door." Jackson ordered no one in particular.

"I'll grab her suitcase!" Rory volunteered quickly and dashed into the house to get Sookie's suitcase for the hospital.

"Oh, I'm freaking out Rory!" Sookie said sadly and I smiled at her reassuringly.

"It's okay. She's a traditionalist. When she has a baby, she's going to be out in the waiting room, pacing and smoking." I joked with her and she laughed a little.

"We should have thrown her the baby shower earlier! Then I wouldn't have had to watch this." Rory said as she came back out of the house with the suitcase and I rolled my eyes at her.

"Oh, you guys were going to throw me a baby shower?" Sookie asked as she got into her and Jackson's car.

"We were going to set it up during your nap." Mom told her friend.

"Want a boost?" Jackson asked his wife.

"I can make it." She assured him.

"Oh, God." Rory muttered as she closed her eyes tightly so that she couldn't see anything.

"Watch it." Mom said to her quietly.

"Sorry, I just really don't want to see what's coming round the mountain."

"See you guys at the hospital?" Jackson asked us as he climbed into the driver's seat of the car.

"Yeah, you'll see me." Mom assured him.

"Yeah, I have to go back to Yale." Rory said, still with her eyes closed.

"Plus she's thoroughly sickened by what's happening to you right now." I added jokingly.

"I'm not sickened, it's finals time. I'm stressed."

"Ooh! Contraction!" Sookie exclaimed.

"Oh, that's pretty sickening."

"I might be at the hospital. It depends on whether or not Rory passes out." I joked as I looked at the shade of green Rory was turning.

"Hang on." Jackson said to his wife as she had another contraction.

"Sorry you didn't get your party." Mom apologised to Sookie.

"Blame little no-name to come." Sookie joked to her best friend with a laugh.

"We'll see you there." Jackson said to me and Mom and then they pulled out of the driveway. Mom and I waved as they left and then turned to Rory. We smiled when we saw that her eyes were still squeezed tightly shut.

"You are going to open your eyes when you drive back to Yale, right?" I asked her with a frown.

"Yes. I'm just giving them a five minute head start. We're taking the same road." Rory told me and I nodded at her.

"Good thinking, honey." Mom said to her and then kissed her forehead. "Bye."

"Bye." Rory said to both of and then opened her eyes slowly to look down the road. I chuckled at her as I shook my head and walked towards my car.

* * *

At the hospital Jackson was walking next to Sookie who was being pushed in a wheelchair by a nurse while Mom and I walked behind them to Sookie's private room.

"Are you breathing, honey?" Jackson asked his wife as we entered the room.

"I'm breathing. Hey, was that Andy Dick out in the hallway?" Sookie asked excitedly and I frowned in confusion and looked back over my shoulder into the hallway.

"No, honey. This happened last time. You go into labour, you start thinking you see famous people."

"Right. Suddenly my midwife was Wolf Blitzer."

"Hey, you need me to unpack you?" Mom asked as the nurse and Jackson helped Sookie get onto the hospital bed.

"You probably don't have to. We have everything she needs all set up." The nurse told us and then smiled once at Sookie and left the room.

"You know, we guys always pack a suitcase. Useless. So, have you been thinking about names? I'm leaning toward Ethan for a boy. Or Glenda if it's a girl. Although I like Martha, too. And Rupert for a boy." Jackson rambled as he moved the suitcase to the side of the room.

"They're all good, sweetie." Sookie told him with a smile.

"Hey, whatever we don't use, we just save for the next one, right?"

"Right, right. The next one." Sookie agreed weakly but looked down at the ground.

"Hey, will you stay with her? I've got to go call my most delivery guys and let them know what's happening." Jackson asked Mom and me.

"Yep. We'll be here." I assured him as he smiled at us and then left the room. Mom walked over to Sookie's bedside and I sunk down into one of the vacant chairs.

"Comfortable?" Mom asked Sookie with a smile.

"I am, Penelope Cruz." Sookie assured her and we all laughed out loud.

"Um, hey, Sookie, um, when did you know for sure?" Mom asked her best friend uncertainly and I frowned at her.

"About what?"

"That you were pregnant. How could you tell?"

"Don't you remember? 'Norman Mailer!'" Sookie reminded her and I frowned at Mom in confusion as to why she was asking.

"Mm. Right, right. Norman Mailer." Mom murmured to herself.

"I wonder how Norman is. I had a dream about him the other night, and he was yelling at someone to shut up and read Joyce."

"How long was the Norman Mailer Moment after you and Jackson, uh, conceived?" Mom asked Sookie and I felt my eyes widen at her question.

"Wow. Uh, well, I don't know, a few weeks?" Sookie said but it sounded more like a question.

"It was weeks?"

"I think."

"And you didn't know before? Not a feeling, or anything?"

"I don't know. You've had two before, don't you remember?" Sookie asked and gestured over at me on the seat across from her.

"Yeah. It's been a while."

"Why are you asking?" I asked my mother curiously, tilting my head to the side in question.

"Oh, I don't know. Just being in a maternity ward makes me wonder about these things." Mom deflected but I wasn't convinced. I was about to question her further but a nurse came into the room with a smile.

"I'm going to see how far along she is. We'll be a couple of minutes." The nurse said to us and I stood up.

"Oh, sure." I said as I walked over to Sookie and leaned down to whisper in her ear. "She looks like Marlo Thomas."

"See? It's not just me." Sookie exclaimed loudly, causing Mom and the nurse to look at us strangely.

"We'll be outside." Mom said to Sookie and then she herded me out of the room. I followed Mom down the hallway and we stopped in front of a pair of hard hospital seats. We both sunk down into them and I manoeuvred uncomfortably.

"So, um, she's going be okay now she's in the hospital?" I asked Mom meekly. I really wanted to question her about what the help was going on in the hospital room with Sookie but I needed to do it carefully or she wouldn't answer any of my questions.

"Oh, fine. She's all checked in, breathing normally, contracting painfully. The cursing should start any time now, everything's as it should be." She assured me with a smile, patting my hand.

"Good. I mean, that was weird, wasn't it? She was like, what, a week and a half early?"

"Yeah, those little buggers tend to come when they want to come."

"I still can't get 'coming round the mountain' out of my mind. It's like one of those phrases, like 'drop it like it's hot' that I really wish I'd never heard." I told her with a chuckle.

"Hey, um." Mom started and glanced at me from the corner of her eye. "You're doing everything you need to do in that area, right?"

"What area?" I asked her stupidly.

"Um, protection, to prevent something from coming round the mountain."

"I hope so!" I exclaimed, appalled with the line of questioning. It wasn't the first time we had had this conversation and it didn't get any more comfortable the more times you had it.

"Hope? This is not an area where hope is good enough."

"I think I have it covered, and that wasn't meant to be a euphemism."

"Okay, 'think' is not good enough either. What kind of birth control do you use?" she asked me and I looked at her with a raised eyebrow, silently asking if she was serious.

"Listen, all I'm saying is you cannot leave it up to the guy, okay? They are not reliable." Mom insisted and rolled my eyes at her.

"I don't leave it up to the guy!" I assured her.

"They get into this state, you know? Primordial. It's all very exciting, but so is eating a gallon of pudding, and believe me, you are going to regret that later. I use that as an example because I know you like pudding."

"Okay." I said to her, grabbing to hand to calm her down because she was getting herself worked up.

"You have got to figure, if he shoots, he scores. I mean, look around you." She ordered me and I looked around the hospital waiting room. "There are babies popping out all over the place. So you're caught up on the subject?"

"You've caught me up. Society has caught me up. The health channel on cable has caught me up. Miss Driscoll, the sad spinster gym teacher at Chilton has caught me up –" I reassured her again.

"Miss Driscoll. Right, like she would ever need birth control." Mom commented and I snorted in amusement.

"I'm caught up. Honest."

"Okay. Good." Mom said and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Mom. What's going on with you?" I asked her hesitantly.

"Nothing." She lied and I quirked an eyebrow at her.

"Mom." I said sternly and she looked me in the eye to see if I was going to bend. When I didn't back down she sighed and looked at the ground.

"I might be pregnant."

"Oh." I said and then paused. "So, that's where this is coming from."

"I blame Mom. She never sat me down for the talk. And Miss Driscoll. She had her chance too, all those PTA meetings, and all she ever talked about was golf." Mom joked and I giggled as I held her hand in silent support.

"How did this happen? I mean, if it's true?" I asked her softly.

"Luke and I came home from the magazine party the other night. We were a little loopy and it got - primordial. All roadblocks down. I mean, I was always beyond careful. The last time I had my roadblocks down was, I don't know, count how old you are to the day and add nine months."

"But, that doesn't mean –" I started to say.

"I just ate an apple." Mom interrupted me and I froze.

"Uh oh." I uttered to myself.

"Yeah, and I liked it."

"Whoa."

"My body is telling me something."

"Maybe it's not telling you what you think it is. Maybe it's just telling you to better comply with the government's recommendations for fruit and vegetable intake. That's not just propaganda, you know."

"Maybe."

"Maybe you have scurvy. You do look a little yellow." I joked as I dramatically looked her over and she chuckled at me. "And –"

"What?" Mom questioned me when I didn't finish the sentence.

"Well, would it be so horrible? I mean, it's Luke." I finished with a soft smile and then I frowned at her. "It is Luke?"

"Yes, it's Luke!" Mom exclaimed and playfully slapped my arm, making me laugh.

"Well, you guys are so close, it could be headed somewhere."

"I know, but not right now, hon. it's early for us. You know? I mean, my life is going really good, just the inn and this new potential opportunity, and, you know. I just got rid of you and Rory. It's the first time in my life I've gotten to feel like a single, grownup woman. Now is just not the right time."

"Okay. Well, maybe it's not true." I reminded her softly.

"Yeah. Maybe."

"But what are you going to do if it is?"

"I could really use my magic eight ball about now." Mom said with a sigh and I rubbed her back in support as we watched a heavily pregnant woman get wheeled passed in a wheelchair.

* * *

I was in my room on Friday afternoon putting the final touches on my cocktail dress for Honor's engagement party when my cell phone rang. I planned to ignore it but then I remembered that it might be Mom with news about either Sookie or herself. I had left the hospital before Sookie and Jackson's baby had been born because the labour was going on forever and I had classes that I couldn't miss. I made Mom promise to call as soon as she had news. I put down my needle and thread and ran over to where my phone was lying on top of my vanity table.

"Hey you!" I said brightly into the phone when I read that it was Mom calling me. I put the phone to my shoulder and ear and walked back over to the mannequin that wore my green cocktail dress.

"It's a girl." Mom told me happily and I froze with a smile in place.

"A girl? Oh good, we need a girl!"

"Why do we need a girl?" Mom questioned me curiously and I shrugged then though she couldn't see me.

"I don't know. Aren't there enough guys walking around out there?"

"Well, it's a beautiful girl, name to come, and Sookie's fine, Jackson's fine, everyone's fine."

"Good. I'm glad." I said as I picked up the needle again and started sewing.

"Fourteen hours of labour was the downside, but Sookie has the rest of her little girl's life to get back at her for that."

"I love the circle of life." I joked with a chuckle.

"And there's more good news." She told me happily and I couldn't help but smile at her excitement.

"What?"

"It was a false alarm. I'm not pregnant. The crisis has passed."

"Oh, Mom. Good. I'm happy for you."

"You're happy? Huh. As the sight of babies isn't freaking me out anymore, I can enjoy the maternity ward again." Mom joked and I laughed at her.

"So what was with the apple?" I asked her.

"I don't know. But I just had a Moonpie and a Ding-Dong and washed it down with an Orange Crush in the cafeteria, so no desire for anything nutritional."

"Oh, thank God. I'm glad, Mom."

"Yeah. So, listen. How about we reschedule Sookie's baby shower?" Mom suggested to me and paused for a second in my sewing.

"How? It's too late."

"No. We'll throw a 'Welcome to the Earth, Baby Girl Belleville' party. Did you save the decorations that Rory screwed up?" Mom asked me and I smirked to myself.

"Still in my car."

"How about Saturday morning? That's when she gets home. Just come back with me tonight after dinner, we'll set it up at her house."

"Sounds good but I have that engagement party tonight. Hey, um, did you ever mention this pregnancy scare to Luke?" I asked her curiously.

"My God, no. Can you imagine? 'Uh, Luke, you're going to be a daddy.' Suddenly there's nothing left but a puff of smoke and a baseball cap spinning on the floor." Mom joked and I giggled at the visual.

"Yeah. He never seemed much like a family guy. This is for the best. Listen, um, I've got to get back. I have to finish this dress for tonight."

"I'll see you tomorrow, one of my only offspring."

"Bye." I said with a laugh.

"Bye." She said before hanging up and I shook my head at her as I threw my phone of onto the bed. I looked at the dress I had just finished a smiled at my handy work.

* * *

Colin and I arrived at Honor and Josh's engagement party and immediately felt the need to drink. All of the Huntzberger's society friends were in attendance and I grimaced as they greeted us and tried to make small talk. I looked around for Rory before remembering that she had to go to Friday night at Emily and Richard's before meeting Logan here at the marina since the party was on a yacht.

"You look gorgeous." Colin whispered in my ear as we walked outside onto the deck and I smiled slightly at him. We walked out onto the deck and I breathed a sigh of relief that no one else was out there to chat with.

"I hate this parties." I whined to my boyfriend. "Why can't Honor just elope? We could all go to Vegas?" I suggested playfully as I accepted the flute of champagne he handed me.

"You've met Honor. There is no way she would miss out on an extravagant party. And anyway, there's an open bar." Colin countered with a smug smile and I laughed at him as I leaned against the side of the railing. I took a sip of champagne and looked out at the ocean. I smiled as I felt Colin wrap his arms around my waist and I leant back into his chest. I heard the door open out onto the deck and looked over Colin's shoulder and saw Honor stepping out onto the deck. I smiled as my friend approached us with a smile of her own.

"Hello, sweetums." She said in greeting and I laughed at her pet name for me. She came and stood next to us near the railing of the yacht.

"Hey, you having a good time?" I asked her and she smirked at me knowingly.

"It has an open bar."

"Thank god." Colin muttered and we all laughed at the truth behind the words. Honor looked at me and eyed me up and down. I frowned at her in confusion and leaned further into Colin's arms because I didn't like the gleam in her eyes.

"I love your dress." She complimented me and I smiled slightly.

"Thank you. What do you want?" I asked suspiciously but with a smile on my lips. She laughed me and then sighed in defeat.

"You know me to well." She uttered and then gave me a pleading look. She grasped my hands in hers and I frowned at her warily. "Please design my bridesmaid's dresses. Please, you are so talented and all your designs are amazing. Please, please." She begged me and I smiled brightly at my friend.

"Of course." I agreed and she squealed and gave me a tight hug. I laughed with her as she released me. "Just tell me the colour and when I can take measurements, yeah?"

"Of course." She said to me and then I heard the door open up again. I looked over and then looked away when I saw Honor and Logan's dad Mitchum step out on to the deck with us. He walked over to his daughter and pressed a kiss on her forehead.

"There you are, sweetie. I think your mother is looking for you." He told her and she nodded at him and giving me a kiss on the cheek before going back inside. I bit the inside of my cheek to stop from lashing out at Mitchum for the way Elias and Shira treated Rory when she went to dinner to their house. I looked back out over the ocean and felt Colin squeeze my hand in support. I had vented my frustration to Colin the night I found out so he knew that I was still really angry at them all. "Hello, Christa, Colin. How are you both?" Mitchum asked us politely and glared back at him.

"We're fine, thank you." Colin answered for both of us. I heard Mitchum sigh and move around to lean against the railing next to me.

"I suppose you're mad at me." he said to me and I frowned before looking up at him. I met his eyes with a glare and I couldn't help speaking the truth.

"Yeah, I am. You want to know why?" I asked but continued talking without waiting for an answer. "Rory is better than me. She is. My sister is an amazing person and she is going to be such an influential person to those around her. I know that because she already is to me. She and Logan have only just started dating but your family would be lucky to have someone as smart and honest and genuine as her. And the fact that she wants to be a journalist and have a career? Who cares? She is going to be an amazing journalist. She already is an extraordinary writer and she's just going to mature with time. So many people are fake and don't have a clue about who they, but Rory? Rory is one of the few honestly good people." I told him angrily and then watched as he raised an eyebrow at my rant. Colin's arms were still wrapped around my waist and he tightened his hold on me.

"I agree that she is an amazing person. But I just don't think she has what it takes to be a journalist." He said to me and I shook my sharply once, scowling at him.

"You have no idea how wrong you are about that!" I told him loudly but then quietened my voice. "Rory is going to be an incredible journalist and you are going to be spitting when she get awarded a Pulitzer. If you can't see that, then you, sir, are an idiot." I told him and then I walked away from him before I could slap him on his smug face. I strutted off, fuming and I heard Colin trying to catch up with me. Colin caught up to me and grabbed my arm to spin my around so that I was facing him. I looked up at him and he rubbed a thumb under my eye, across my cheek and I realised that I was crying silent tears. I chuckled once and he was about to say something when my cell phone from inside my purse. I smiled an apology and pulled my phone out. "Hello?"

"Hey, it's me." I heard my mom say.

"What's up?" I asked her warily, trying to make sure that she didn't hear the catch in my throat. I frowned as I listened to her tell me what had happened. "She did what!?"


	22. Chapter 22

**A House is Not A Home:**

Colin and I were sitting on the hard plastic seats at the police station waiting for Rory and Logan to get out. My lips were pressed together in a tight line and Colin held my hand in between his, trying to keep me calm. He knew that there was a good chance I would try and kill Logan as soon as I saw him. Being arrested was not something Rory would do on her own and I knew for a fact that Logan had been arrested before. Ever since my mother rang me to tell me that Rory had been arrested for grand theft boating, I had going back and forth between being extremely pissed at her and Logan and amused at the situation. My head shot up as the bell above the police station door opened and my mother came hurrying inside, not even noticing me and Colin. Mom walked straight over to the counter where a female police officer was going over some papers.

"Hi. Hello. Yes, I'm here to pick up my daughter." Mom said to the officer and I could hear the panic in her tone.

"Your daughter's name?" the officer asked Mom.

"Rory Gilmore. Lorelai Gilmore. She goes by Rory. I don't know what you have her under."

"Rory Gilmore."

"Oh, that's good, because she only answers to that. Not that she won't to the other, but –"

"She'll be out in a minute."

"Okay. Thanks." Mom said and then paused for a second as she thought about something. "Sorry, when you say she'll be out, do you mean out of a cell?"

"Yep."

"So she was in a cell."

"That's where we usually put people when they're arrested."

"Was she in the cell alone?"

"It was a slow night. She had the place to herself." The officer reassured her.

"Oh, that's good. I mean, not that she's a snob. She can get along with anyone. It's just, it was her first time in a cell, and so I didn't want her to be attacked, you know, like in Caged Heat? Or was it Switchblade Sisters? Anyway. I mean, my daughter never gets into trouble. Except, you know, now. But on the whole, the kid is an angel. She goes to Yale. It's normally her sister that gets into trouble." Mom babbled and Colin and I shared an amused look.

"She'll be out in a minute."

"Right. I was just wondering. Is Rory in the system now? Because I just remember when Sipowicz's son accidentally got arrested because he looked like a drug dealer. Sipowicz was freaked out that the son was going to wind up in the system. And I just wonder, you know, should I be freaked out? And also, what exactly is the system?"

"She's got to go to court. They'll figure out what's going to happen."

"And am I going to have to pay anything? I mean, bail? Does she need bail?"

"They're releasing her on a P.T.A. A promise to appear."

"Oh, she will. She will appear. She might be there before you will." Mom said.

"I won't be there." The officer said, losing patience with Mom's babbling. I noticed the look on the officer's face so I stood up to go and get her.

"Right. But she will, 'cause she promised. I'll be over there." Mom said to the officer and she turned around and saw me standing with an amused look on my face. "You heard all that?" she asked me and I smirked before sitting back down next to Colin. Mom rolled her eyes at me and sat down next to me.

"We heard it all. Apparently, I'm trouble." I joked with a giggle and Mom suck her tongue out at me as Colin chuckled at our exchange. I gave Mom my free hand and squeezed her hand reassuringly. I heard the bell above the door and jerked my head up to see Finn and Harrison entered the station chatting to one another and Colin and I grimaced at each other knowing that their presence would not be appreciated by Lorelai.

"Well. This is much nicer than the last place we picked him up from." Finn said in his Australian accent.

"Yes, we definitely need to keep this one in mind for future infractions. Excuse me, Officer, we were wondering if one Logan Huntzberger has been released from your fine custody yet?" Harrison said to the same officer Mom had spoken to.

"Nope. Have a seat." The officer said to them, not even looking up from the papers in front of her.

"We'll be over here." Harrison said to her and pointed over towards us.

"And if you have a Moment we'd like to order some appetizers." Finn told the officer and she looked up and stared at him until he backed away slowly. "Hello, Colin, Christa." Finn said as he saw us sitting there. We both smiled back tightly and Mom looked over at the door to the back of the station with a worried look on her face.

"Finn, Harrison." Colin said in greeting to our friends.

"So typical. Logan would have to get busted during the one time I almost got Rosemary to agree to go home with me." Finn said and I snorted in amusement regardless of the situation because I knew that Rose would never go home with Finn.

"In your dreams, Finn." I told him with a smirk and he gave me a mock hurt look.

"It's vintage Huntzberger, my friend. Friday nights end in jail." Harrison said jollily.

"The boy knows how to party." Finn agreed.

"Stealing Richardson's boat. Genius."

"Let's not forget the lovely Rory." Finn said and I gritted my teeth at the mention of my twin sister.

"Yes. Maxwell Smart finally found his Ninety-Nine." Harrison agreed and I leaned over to look at them on the other side of Colin.

"Harrison, Finn, keep talking about my sister like that and the next thing to come out of your mouth will be your teeth." I hissed at them and they both leaned back from me and Colin chuckled at my threat while I glared at the two of them.

"Rory Gilmore is coming out now." The female officer called from the desk.

"Oh, thank you." Mom said to the officer, perking up a little and I smiled sadly at her.

"You're here for Rory?" Harrison asked Mom.

"Yeah." She answered shortly.

"Oh, well, we would have taken her home." Finn told her with a charming smile and I rolled my eyes.

"Just so you know she was covered." Harrison added with a smile of his own.

"Wow. The relief." Mom said sarcastically and Colin and I both chuckled at her.

"I'm Harrison. This is Finn. And you are?" Harrison introduced himself.

"Her and Christa's mother." Colin answered for her with a smirk.

"My God, those are good genes." Finn muttered and looked appreciatively at me and Mom. Colin slapped him on the back of the head for checking me out and smirked as Finn grimaced at the pain. Mom openly glared at the boys as she stood up. The doors that lead to the back of the station buzzed and it opened to reveal Rory. I stood up with Colin and waited for her and Mom. They stood just looking at each other for a minute.

"You've got everything?" Mom asked her shortly and Rory held up an envelope full of her personal effects. "Let's go." Mom said to her and gestured for her to follow. Mom headed for the door and Rory followed her with a bowed head. She glanced at Harrison and Finn as she left and they knelt down and pretended to worship her. I rolled my eyes at them as I crossed my arms over my chest and Rory shook her head at them. Once Mom and Rory were gone they burst out laughing and I glared at them. I strode out of the station to catch up to Mom and Rory while Colin stayed to wait for Logan with the boys like we had discussed earlier when we arrived at the police station.

* * *

We were sitting in Mom's Jeep in the Stars Hollow Town Square where volunteers were setting up flags and outhouses. Mom, Rory and I sat there awkwardly for a Moment and I bit my lip to keep from saying something unhelpful. Rory sat in the passenger seat looking at her hands and I was in the backseat, leaning between the middle of the passenger and drivers seats.

"What's on your hands?" Mom asked Rory when she noticed Rory playing with her fingers.

"Fingerprints." My twin and I answered at the same time.

"Right." Mom said with a nod and then she paused awkwardly. "Do you want to go in and eat, or take it home?"

"Home." Rory answered her.

"Okay." She said and then paused again. "We're having a bike race. Bike race through town, first one ever. Taylor's really excited. Maybe Sheryl Crow will come."

"Maybe."

"Probably not." She disagreed with herself and then paused once more. "I'm running out of small talk, kid. Got to get around to the main event here soon."

"I know." Rory said with a sigh.

"Rory, what happened?" I asked her worriedly but before she could answer her cell phone rang and she took it out.

"No, don't answer it." Mom said with a shake of her head.

"It's Logan." Rory said matter-of-factly.

"Rory, don't answer it." I agreed with Mom and Rory gave me a look.

"I have to."

"Well, I don't want you talking to him right now." Mom said to her.

"Why not?"

"Why not? He just got you arrested."

"He did not."

"Don't protect him." I told her angrily. I was really angry at Logan right now.

"It was my idea!"

"Oh, come on." Mom said to her with a roll of her eyes.

"Logan was at his sister's engagement party having a perfectly lovely time when I showed up and dragged him off. He spent the night in jail because of me. I have to take this call." Rory argued and then she flipped open her phone and answered it. "Hey. Are you okay? Yeah, I'm fine. I'm good. I was just worried about you." She said into the phone and shook my head angrily. Mom climbed out of the car and slammed the door behind her. taking her lead, I opened the back door and climbed out, slamming it behind me as well. I met up with Mom at the front of the Jeep and we started walking towards Luke's without saying anything to each other.

"Lorelai. Yoo-hoo! Behind you! Back here! Turn around! Turn around, turn around!" I heard Taylor say from behind us and I stifled a scream of frustration as I turned around with Mom.

"Yes, Taylor." Mom said tightly, gritting her teeth.

"You know we have a race coming through here tomorrow." Taylor said, gasping for breath as he spoke.

"Uh, yeah, it says it on the banners." I said sarcastically as I crossed my arms over my chest.

"The fifth annual Connecticut Bike Race. It's a very prestigious race."

"Oh, I'm sure."

"Now, I don't know if you've noticed the no parking signs I've been putting out."

"I didn't, Taylor." Mom told him.

"I swear, if something doesn't have a Marc Jacobs label on it, you girls just don't notice it. Well, I have just put no parking signs all up and down the street here, in hopes of clearing a safe and unobstructed path through Stars Hollow."

"Well, what a super goal, Taylor."

"Thank you. Now, if you notice, your Jeep is currently parked in what is about to become a no parking zone."

"Really."

"As of ten o'clock tonight. At 10:01, we will be towing." He said and then pointed to where Kirk was waiting with a tow truck and I frowned at him.

"I'm coming for you!" Kirk called out, trying to sound menacing.

"Okay, Taylor, it's nine fifty-five. We still have six minutes." I told him in mock sweetness.

"Yes, but it would be easier if you would just move the car now." Taylor argued.

"If it's easy then anyone could do it, and I'm a maverick." Mom said and then turned around a kept walking. I smiled at him and then followed after my mother. Mom held the door to Luke's open for me and I walked smiled at her in appreciation as I walked in the diner to see Luke wiping down the counter.

"Rory stole a yacht. How's your night been?" Mom asked him as she entered behind me and Luke's head shot up to look at us.

"What? What do you mean, Rory stole a yacht?" Luke questioned as he came over to us and we all sat down at one of the tables.

"We, uh, just got back from picking Rory up from the Bridgeport police department where she was brought following her arrest for grand theft boating." Mom explained to her boyfriend.

"Tell me what happened."

"I don't know what happened. I haven't gotten the details yet. I did get a piece of paper with a court date on it, though. June third. Sounds like a good day to go to court, don't you think?"

"Was she with that Logan kid?"

"Yes, he was arrested too." I said to them as I leaned back in my chair and imagined punching Logan in the face for getting my sister arrested.

"Well, there you go. He got her into this." Luke said and I nodded silently.

"That's what I said. I need hand soap." Mom said frantically.

"What?" Luke said her confused by the subject change.

"Oh, she got ink all over her hands from the fingerprinting and I'm out of soap."

"I have soap."

"Maybe she needs special soap. Is there special soap? Is it special ink? It must be special ink, right?"

"I don't –"I started to disagree because had had my fingerprints taken before but Mom continued talking.

"I mean, of course." She said as she got up from her chair and walked behind the counter. "They're not going to use normal ink for fingerprinting, it's supposed to brand you and humiliate you. Normal ink wouldn't humiliate you, unless you're Rory and your mother has no soap."

"What are you doing?" Luke asked her as we watched her look for something behind the counter.

"I should make a list. I'm going to forget things. I just need a pen." She explained as she grabbed a notepad from beside the register.

"Here." Luke said as he handed her the pen he was holding and Mom took it gratefully.

"Okay, so, okay. Buy soap. Let's see, what else? Buy soap, buy soap, uh, get lawyer –"

"I can help you with a lawyer." I told her as I remembered the lawyer that had helped me last time I was in trouble for trespassing.

"Oh, crap, Rory's car! It must still be at the marina. She's going to have to pick it up. If it hasn't been impounded! How do I find out if it's been impounded?" Mom asked us.

"I'm sure you can call down there, and –" Luke started to say in a calm voice.

"God, every ten seconds something else pops into my head. I'm just not prepared for this. I mean, Rory never even shoplifted. Not a candy bar, not a lipstick. She forgot to return a library book once. And she was so guilty about it that she grounded herself. I mean, can you imagine? She's just sitting there in her bedroom yelling at me, "Now no one else got to read the Iliad this week because of me!"

"What can I do?"

"Rory hasn't eaten."

"I can make you some burgers." Luke offered but Mom waved it away.

"No, no, no. Just donuts. We need to get home and get to the bottom of this." She said and then took a deep breath to calm herself as Luke got the donuts ready for us. "Okay. This is not the end of the world, right? I was sort of prepared for this to happen to Christa. I mean, Rory's young. Young people do stupid things. I got pregnant. This is better, it's not so permanent. Unless it's on her permanent record, and then, oh, God, does that mean she can't vote?" Mom ranted in a panic.

"Oh, I don't think –" I started to tell her, ignoring the little jab about me in her rant because I knew that she was upset and worried about Rory.

"I thought I read that if you commit a felony you can't vote."

"I think that's –"

"Rory loves to vote! She switched her 'I voted' sticker from outfit to outfit this year, and then she scotch taped it to her purse! She has to be able to vote!"

"You want me to come with you when you talk to her?" Luke offered her, placing a hand on her arm.

"No. Thanks, she's in the car and I have Christa with me. we should go. Thanks for the donuts." Mom said distantly as she focused on nothing. Mom grabbed bag of donuts and walked out of the diner. I gave Luke a quick hug before running after her. Mom and I walked back to the car to find Rory off the phone and we climbed into the seats that we had before we left.

"Kirk just came by and gave us a two minute warning. Any idea what he's talking about?" Rory asked as we got back in.

"Who ever has any idea what Kirk's talking about?" I asked her rhetorically as I got comfortable.

"Here." Mom said to her as she handed her the bag of donuts as got from Luke.

"Thanks." Rory said quietly as she took the bag off of Mom.

"Rory, what happened tonight?" Mom asked her as she sighed.

"I stole a yacht." Rory admitted after a brief pause.

"Yes, I know. The nice men with the guns told me. Why?"

"I just – I was really upset and I felt like I had to do something."

"Okay, sure, I get that. But when I'm upset and I need to do something I eat a lot of pound cake. They don't have pound cake at Yale?"

"I drink. I know that they have alcohol at Yale." I added to the conversation.

"No, they have pound cake at Yale and they have alcohol." Rory said as she looked at us and I gazed back curiously and worriedly. She sighed and Lorelai looked at her expectantly. "Mitchum Huntzberger talked to me today. About my performance."

"And?" Mom and I said at the same time.

"And he said that I was very smart and competent and would someday make someone a great assistant."

"Uh-huh." I said scornfully.

"But as a journalist, he just doesn't think I have it." Rory said softly, looking down at her hands.

"It? Who is he, Louis B. Mayer?" Mom scoffed.

"No, he says he has a sense for this kind of thing. I just – I don't know, it was a surprise. I mean, I thought I was doing really well. I thought I was impressing him. I thought he was going to offer me a summer job at the paper, I thought –"

"Oh, God, I hate this guy." Mom said and I blinked back tears because I was really starting to agree with her.

"It's not his fault. I mean, if he doesn't think I could be a journalist, it's probably best that he tells me before –"

"Before what?" I asked her quietly when she didn't finish.

"Before I go out there and fall on my face."

"But, Rory, he is wrong He doesn't know what he's talking about." I told her passionately, believing every word that I spoke.

"He does this for a living." She pointed out and I scoffed.

"Not after I kill him, he doesn't. Big, fancy, arrogant creep. Handing down these all-knowing proclamations. I mean, how the hell does he know if you have 'it' or not? Has he seen your writing? Has he talked to you, I mean really talked to you? Has he talked to any of your teachers? Has he talked to anyone who knows how much 'it' you have? No. He's spent exactly two weeks with you, ordering you around, sending you on coffee runs, playing the big shot!" Mom ranted, waving her hands in the air.

"He is the publisher!"

"I know what it says on his business card. I'm going to kick his ass." I declared loudly.

"Should we be at all concerned that Kirk's trying to tow us away right now?" Rory asked us as she looked out the back window.

"No. He is not God! This is one man's opinion. He did not invent journalism. He's just a guy with a really good parking space." Mom told Rory and I nodded along with her.

"I'm so, so sorry." Rory apologised to Mom.

"I know you are."

"I was so stupid. I'll never be that stupid again."

"Aw. Sure you will." I told her with a smile.

"Oh my God. I got arrested. I have to go to court! I have to go get my car. No – do you have soap at home? Because I have all this ink all over my hands, and –" Rory said in a panic and I grabbed her hand.

"Honey. Relax. We will figure it out." Mom said to her and we both smiled at her reassuringly. Rory looked ahead as Mom drove away. I glanced out the back window and saw Kirk about to attach the chains from the tow trunk but we drove off before he could and he dropped them in defeat.

* * *

The next morning, Mom and I were standing in front of the fridge giggling like school girls while we waited for Rory to wake up. We had spent the morning planning a surprise for her and were really anxious for her to see it. I heard the door to Rory's bedroom open up and turned around with a huge smile to see Rory wandering to of her room tiredly.

"Morning!" I greeted her brightly as I looked at Mom who had an equally bright smile on her lips but was facing the fridge.

"Good morning, bright eyes!" Mom said to her and I giggled as Rory blinked at her uncomprehending the words.

"God, I feel like I could sleep through the entire day." My twin said with a yawn.

"Coffee will be ready soon." I told her as I took a step to the side so that I was blocking the fridge from her view while Mom fixed the picture on the fridge.

"What are you doing?" Rory asked Mom, who still hadn't turned around.

"Well, I'm updating the refrigerator." Mom told her matter-of-factly and then she stepped back so that Rory could see the photo of her mug shot that we had attached to the fridge door. Mom and I giggled as Rory glanced at the picture displayed in display.

"Where did you get that?"

"Oh, the nice lady at the police station e-mailed it to me. I thought it would look really nice next to your kindergarten handprint collage. I got you a copy if you're thinking Christmas cards."

"Very thoughtful." Rory responded drily and I chuckled at her.

"You hungry?" I asked her with a knowingly smile.

"I'm starving. I've had nothing but donuts for two days." Rory said and I nodded at her as I grabbed her some bread and a glass of water and placed them in front of her on the table. "Funny." Rory commented as she looked at the props in front of her.

"Hold on." Mom said and then she turned on the radio and Jailhouse Rock by Elvis Presley came on the stereo just like we had planned.

"I'm really glad you're enjoying this."

"Rory, the penal system is not something we enjoy. It's something with a name that makes us giggle." I explained to her with a giggle.

"I assume there are pop-tarts?" Rory asked as she got up from the table, ignoring my comment.

"Now, what's on the agenda for today? I hear there's a shipment of plutonium coming in at the docks, and I thought we could dress up as nuns and I could distract them with a fake stigmata, you could shove the plutonium under your habit, and –"Mom joked but Rory cut her off as I just laughed at our mother.

"I have to get back to school. I have one last final, plus –"

"Oh, wait." Mom exclaimed as she grabbed two telephones and sat them on the table, as if they are separated by glass. She picked up one of the phones and looked up at Rory expectantly. Rory rolled her eyes at her but decided to play along and sat back down at the table and picked up the other phone before continuing.

"Plus I have one last load of stuff that I need to pick up and transport back here. And now I have to hang up. Visiting hours are over." She said before hanging up the phone and Mom did the same. "Thanks for letting me borrow the Jeep."

"She probably figured if she didn't give it to you voluntarily you'd just heist it anyway." I teased her as I leaned against the counter with my arms crossed over my chest.

"What doing today, Christa?" Rory asked me, trying to change the subject. I smirked at her but moved to sit next to her at the table.

"I have to finish packing for New York. I have half of my stuff at Colin's dorm room so I need to pack up that stuff as well." I explained to them and Mom nodded at me.

"Where are you living in New York, again?" Mom asked me in concern. I rolled my eyes at her because she had asked me the same question at least eight times.

"I have an apartment that I'm leasing week by week. It's a doorman building in a good neighbourhood. Don't worry, its expensive." I assured her again with a smile and then turned to Rory with a devilish smirk. "I only mentioned the expensiveness of the place, in case you want to rob any of the neighbours."

"This bit's going to last for a while, huh?" Rory asked us both with a sigh and Mom and I exchanged a look.

"Mm. Twenty to life." I decided, tapping my finger against my chin.

"Time off for a well-placed Tom Sizemore Whizzenator joke." Mom added and I chucked.

"Don't let the movies fool you, kiddies. Crime doesn't pay." Rory joked with us and then started walking towards the door. Mom and I jumped up and followed her as she walked towards the front door.

"Listen, uh, later today I'm going to try and track us down a lawyer. I thought I'd call that guy who got Robert Blake off, what was his name, Houdini?" Mom babbled and then stopped when Rory just froze and stared at her. "What?"

"Where are you really going to get this lawyer?"

"The emergency room. Ambulance dispatch centre?" Mom joked, confused.

"You're not going to tell –"

"No. I'm not going to go through Mom and Dad. There's no reason they need to know about this." Mom assured Rory and my sister breathed a sigh of relief.

"Did I say I'm sorry in the last five minutes?" Rory asked her, looking absolutely pitiful.

"Hm. I think not slugging me when I pulled out the telephones said it for you."

"I love you, Mom." Rory and I said at the same time.

"I love you, kids." She responded and then Rory and I kissed one of her cheeks at the same time and left. I waved over my shoulder as I sauntered over to my car.

* * *

I was smiling to myself as I used my key to Colin and Finn's dorm room to let myself in. Colin had given me a spare key a few weeks ago so that I could get in when they weren't home. I let myself in and smiled when I saw Colin sitting on the couch with Finn talking animatedly to each other. I froze when I heard a familiar male voice and I turned my gaze to the armchair to the side of the room.

"You!" I said accusingly as I scowled and dropped my purse to the floor. The three guys all snapped heads up at the sound of my voice. Logan smiled widely at me and I glared at him. Colin slowly rose from his seat, knowing what was going through my head. I narrowed my eyes at Logan and shook my head slowly at him. I was so angry at him for get Rory in trouble. I knew that Rory said it was her idea to steal the boat but Logan should have stopped it. He should know her well enough to know that she would never steal something. I was so pissed at him for not knowing his girlfriend, my twin sister.

"Hey, Teek!" Logan said to me brightly, not even blinking at my tone. His careless attitude just made me angrier and I launched myself at him, trying to punch him in face. Colin quickly grabbed my around the waist and pulled me away before my fist could make contact with his face. Logan put his hands up in order to protect his face and looked at me in shock as I struggled against Colin's hold.

"Let me go, Colin!" I demanded my boyfriend as he just held my tighter. He heaved me up onto his shoulder so that he was holding me in a fireman's hold. I wriggled against him but he just carried me over to his room and opened the door. Colin took me into his room and threw me down on the bed. I bounced a little at the impact and glowered at him. He raised an eyebrow at me as I tried to get off the bed and he held me down by the shoulder so that I couldn't move.

"What the hell was that about?!" I heard Logan cry from the living room and I smirked to myself in satisfaction. I leaned back into my elbows and Colin let me go when he felt I wasn't going to go anywhere. He gave me a questioning look and I held my hand up in defeat.

"You going to talk to him without yelling?" he questioned me sceptically and I snorted in amusement.

"No." I admitted honestly. "But I promise not to get violent."

"Fine." He relented and I smiled as he gave me a hand to help me up off the bed. Still holding my hand, Colin walked with me out into the living room where Logan and Finn were sitting. They both looked up at me nervously and I rolled my eyes as Colin and I sat on an armchair to the side of the room.

"Want to explain you nearly taking my eye out?" Logan asked me and I crossed my arms over my chest as I glared at him.

"You got Rory arrested." I said pointedly.

"Rory got herself arrested." He countered and I almost attacked him again but Colin's hand on my thigh stopped me. "I know didn't know what happened with my dad earlier that night but I do now. Rory's came up to me at the engagement party and asked to go borrow a boat."

"And you didn't think that was at all out of character? You didn't question it all?" I asked knowingly and he sighed in defeat.

"No, I didn't." he admitted as he ran his hand through his hair. "I guess I'm just so used to having people around that readily steal boats." He joked with wry grin and I couldn't help but smile a little in return.

"Rory isn't like me, Logan." I told him honestly. "She cares. She cares about other people and she worries about them more than herself. One time when we went to an amusement park, we were rising on the bumper cars and Rory ran into the back of this red car. A little girl was in it and she didn't even blink at the impact but Rory stopped and apologised profusely. Even offered to buy her a lollipop as an apology." I said to him with a chuckle as I remember and he listened intently. He smiled and chuckled once I was finished.

"I get it. Rory's one of the good ones." Logan agreed solemnly and I nodded to him, offering him a smile. I climbed off of Colin's lap and held my arms out to him. Logan smiled as he got to his feet and wrapped his arms around me in return. "Love you." He said to me softly and I smirked at him.

"Sorry, I have a boyfriend." I joked and he laughed at me. I turned back to Colin and held my hand out to him expectantly. "Speaking of said boyfriend, I need to clean myself out of your room."

"Let's go then." Colin agreed as he gripped my hand and heaved himself to his feet. I led Colin into his bedroom as Finn and Logan started talking amongst themselves again. I sighed as I got a box from the pile near the door and unfolded it. Colin sat on the bed and I rolled my eyes at his laziness. I walked over to the closet and started taking the dresses off the coat hangers.

"So, you never told me where you're going to be living next year? I know that you can't stay in the dorms again and I figured that you seriously don't want to live with Paris again." Colin said from the bed and I laughed as I thought about living with Paris for the third year in a row.

"No, I definitely don't want to live with Paris Geller again." I agreed with him as I smiled over my shoulder at him. I went back to sorting out my dresses as I spoke to my boyfriend. "I have a lead on an apartment but I won't hear back about it until like a week before school starts next semester. If that doesn't work out I can room with Rory or Steph until I can find an apartment." I told him as I folded the clothes from the closet. Once the box was full, I taped up it up and smiled at Colin as I walked over to get another one from near the door. I frowned when I saw Colin lying on the bed with his hands behind his head and ankles crossed with a thoughtful expression on his face. "Are you okay?" I asked him in concern.

"Hmm?" he questioned as he jerked out of his thoughts. I smiled at him as I picked up another box and moved over to the drawers.

"I asked if you were okay."

"I'm fine." He assured me and I gave him another smile as I folded my clothes that were in Colin's dresser. We were quiet for a while as I hummed while folding clothing and Colin watched me intently. I frowned at him a couple of times in concern but he just smiled back at me, as if to reassure me. "Move in with me."

"What?" I asked dumbly as I turned around to face him.

"Move in with me." he repeated as he scooted closer to me on the bed. I raised an eye brow at him and snapped my mouth shut when I realised that it had fallen open.

"You're crazy." I said matter-of-factly as I turned back around and got back to my folding. He got off of the bed and took the shirt I was folding out of my hands. I sighed as he turned me around forcibly so that I had to look at him. He cupped my face in his hands and looked me straight in the eye so that I could see his sincerity.

"I'm being serious. Move in with me."

"We've only being dating seven and a half months." I argued with him with a shake of my head but he just smiled slightly.

"We've known each other for years, we love each other," he listed and I chuckled lightly at him.

"We are still in the honeymoon faze. We haven't even had a fight yet."

"Or maybe we are just perfect for each and will never fight." Colin suggested playfully and I ran a hand threw my hair as I laughed slightly at that.

"I don't know." I said but I could feel my resolve shattering. Colin smirked at me smug and I knew that he knew that I was crumbling.

"How about this? You are living in New York this summer while you do your internship, right?" he asked me to confirm and I nodded, waiting for him to finish curiously. "And I'm going to be in New York anyway so, how about we live together for the summer in New York and if it works, you think about living together next year?" he compromised with me as he put his hands on my shoulders. I looked at him silently for a minute, gauging how I felt about the turn of events. I bit my lower lips as I thought about it and then I nodded to him.

"Okay." I agreed softly and his eyes brightened. "We'll give it a try for the summer." I said and he grinned at me, making me grin back. He wrapped his arms around me and spun me around as I laughed loudly.

* * *

Rory and I were waiting for Mom at Weston's Bakery and I looked up with a smile as Mom came running up to our table.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry. The inn was swamped. These bikers are like rabbits who don't eat carrots, too much sugar." Mom explained as she sat down at the vacant seat at the table.

"Mm, sugar!" I moaned happily.

"The fitness craze is completely lost on us."

"I'm starving." Rory told us and I nodded in agreement.

"Me too." Mom agreed as she picked up the menu. I picked up my own menu and was looking it over when Mom snapped her head up to look at Rory with a curious smile. "Hey, so how'd your final go?"

"It went well." Rory answered vaguely.

"Yeah? And you finished packing?" Mom asked me and I sighed nervously as I put down the menu. Mom looked over at me in concern and I folded my hands together.

"I'm finished packing up my stuff and it's all ready for either storage or to be taken to New York with me." I told her honestly and then smiled nervously because I wasn't sure how Mom was going to take the news that Colin and I were going to be living to together. "Um, I have some news."

"Oh?" Mom asked curiously but I could tell by her tone that she was expecting that worse.

"Hm. Um, Colin asked me to move in with him next year." I told her with a bright smile and Mom and Rory looked surprised.

"Oh! Well, what did you say?"

"I said that it was really soon. We've only been going to for seven months and that it's too early to be moving in together." I said to her and she nodded. "But then he suggested that we have a trial run."

"A trial run?" Rory asked me with brows furrowed.

"Yeah, since the both of us are going to be in New York, we are going to use that time to test out living together. To see if we can do it."

"That's a very mature idea." Mom said to me with a smile and I smiled back at her as she patted my hand. "You know that I love Colin, but it is a bit soon to be moving in together. I suppose it is different for you guys because you've been friends for so long and the trail run is a good idea. Kinda of like the practice run we had for the inn."

"Thank you. It was actually Colin's idea." I said proudly and then turned my attention back to my twin sister. "What about you, Rory? All packed up?"

"All packed, all boxed. I just have one more trip to school and home and then I'm done." Rory said to me.

"Ah. It's going to be nice to have you home for a while." Mom said with smile.

"I'm glad you feel that way."

"Yeah. The place hasn't had a decent dusting since you left." Mom joked and Rory rolled her eyes at her. "Hey, do you think today is the day we're finally going to go through all twelve layers of the twelve-layer German chocolate cake? The bikers have demonstrated the importance of challenging oneself." Mom asked us and I laughed and nodded as I looked over the menu. I glanced up and noticed Rory fidgeting nervously so I frowned at her.

"Mom." Rory started nervously.

"Rory." Mom said in concern as she looked up from the menu.

"I have to tell you something."

"Okay. Wow, there's something about Weston's, it's always the place where we 'talk'." Mom joked but Rory wasn't in a joking mood and her face stayed serious.

"We could go somewhere else."

"No, no, no. Tell me." Mom urged her with a smile. Rory paused and took a deep breath before continuing.

"I have decided that I'm not going back to Yale next year." Rory said, looking between me and Mom. I froze where I was with an open mouth as I just stared at her uncomprehending.

"I'm sorry, I don't think I heard you correctly." Mom uttered, shaking her head in disbelief.

"I'm not going back to Yale next year." Rory repeated and I snapped my mouth shut at her words.

"But why?" I questioned her.

"Because I'm not sure that it's the right place for me. And I'm not exactly sure what I'm going to do with my life, and –"

"Since when are you not sure what you're going to do with your life?" Mom asked sharply.

"Mom –"

"You've known what you wanted to do with your life since you were three. Be a journalist."

"Maybe not."

"Oh. This is about Mitchum Huntzberger." I said angrily in realisation.

"No, it's not." Rory denied with a shake of her head.

"Rory, honey, I know that what he said hurt you, and that shook you up and you lost your confidence, but that was just one man's opinion." Mom insisted to her but Rory wasn't listening.

"It has nothing to do with what he said. And Mitchum Huntzberger happens to be the top newspaper guy in the country."

"So what?" I argued with her.

"So if you're going to get one man's opinion, he's the one man you get."

"You're not thinking. This is the man who doesn't want you to marry Logan." I reminded her as I gripped her hand in my own.

"That wasn't him. It was Logan's mother and his grandfather."

"And you really think he's okay with it? I mean, his while family looks at you and sees Anna Nicole Smith, and they tell you that to your face, but he thinks you're swell and wants to pay for the honeymoon." Mom said to her and I nodded along with her.

"That's not why he said what he said."

"He's messing with your mind. He has so many motives that have nothing to do with your abilities!"

"That's not true! He said I can't do it, so I can't do it!" Rory said loudly.

"Why are you so willing to believe this guy?"

"Logan agrees with him."

"He said that? He told you he agrees with his father?" I asked her sceptically but angrily as I fumed.

"Because if that's so, he's a fantastic boyfriend. Really, quite a catch." Mom added sarcastically with frown.

"No, he didn't say it. I could just tell." Rory told us.

"How?" I asked her for an explanation because if she didn't give me a good one I was going to kick Logan's ass.

"I could tell. He ranted about his father being a jerk, and speaking his mind, but he never said that he was wrong."

"Rory, come on. What kind of logic is that?"

"It doesn't matter. This isn't about that. I told you. I just need some time."

"You're making a mistake." Mom told her pointedly.

"No, I'm not! This is normal! College kids take breaks like this all the time. You didn't go to college, so you don't understand." Rory said harshly and Mom recoiled a little.

"No, I didn't go to college. I wasn't lucky enough to go to college." Mom yelled at her, and I could hear the hurt in her voice.

"Trust me, this is very normal."

"No. You are not quitting Yale." Mom said as if that was the end of the discussion.

"Yes I am!"

"You're acting incredibly immature. And I know it's because you're hurt, but you have got to get a grip! This is too important! You've been working towards Yale your whole life!" I yelled at her passionately.

"No. I was working toward Harvard my whole life." Rory reminded me and I shrugged my shoulders.

"Okay, fine. Then go to Harvard. That's cool."

"I don't want to go to Harvard!"

"Then go to Princeton or Stamford or Columbia!" I suggested to her and Mom nodded with me.

"I want time off!"

"If you leave Yale now, you'll never go back. You'll lose Momentum." Mom said to her.

"Momentum toward what? All I've been doing is working toward being a journalist! I'm not going to be a journalist, so what Momentum am I losing exactly?" Rory asked us.

"You don't want to be a journalist, fine! I don't care about that! But you stay in school, you take some classes, you figure out what you do want to be!" Mom yelled at her. "Christa doesn't know what she wants to be but she still goes!"

"That's not what Yale is for!" Rory argued with her.

"That's what college is for!" I told her.

"Yale's expensive!" Rory said as I last resort and I scoffed at her.

"Are you paying?" Mom asked her rhetorically.

"I don't want to do that! I don't want to wander around a school where everyone else is focused and working toward something and I'm just floating!"

"So what's the great master plan, then, huh? You're going to move back home, live in your room, work part-time at the bookstore? Forget it. Not an option."

"I'll figure it out."

"I'm not hungry." I said as I grabbed my purse off of the chair next to me. I stood up angrily and Mom joined.

"Yeah, me neither." She agreed and grabbed her own bag.

"Look, I'm not going back. I just wanted you to know." Rory told us as she leaned back in her seat.

"Message sent." I hissed at her as I glared in her direction before stalking out of the bakery. I couldn't believe that Rory was going to give up a chance at Yale. It was just so very unlike her. I shook my head miserably as I walked down the street to my car.

* * *

I silently backed my boxes into the back of my car. I couldn't believe that Rory was dropping out of Yale. Mom had called earlier and told me that she, Emily and Richard were going to triple team her at Friday night dinner and try to make her see reason but I wasn't to hopeful. I knew that Rory was stubborn once she set her mind to something. As soon as Rory had informed us that she was dropping out of Yale, mom had gone straight to her parents so that she would have someone in her corner when it came to this. I hadn't spoken a word to Rory since the meeting at Weston's and I didn't plan to. Rory may have been going through some kind of break down but I still had my future to look after and my future was in New York. I was getting more excited as the countdown to my departure loomed. I was actually looking forward to living and working in the city. The internship with Patricia DeRossi was a sort after and exclusive one so that was also filling me was glee. I glanced over at my boyfriend as he lifted the heavy boxes into the car for me. Colin was meeting me at the apartment later in the week once his finals were over and I was driving down that night. We had decided to try living together at the apartment that Colin's family own in Manhattan so that we didn't have to worry about rent. As I finished packing the last of the boxes into the car, I looked back over my shoulder at the dorm room where Rory currently was. I frowned sadly and turned my attention back to Colin.

"I have to get going." I said reluctantly as his arms circled my waist. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed a kiss to his lips.

"I know."

"I'm going to miss you."

"It will go by fast." He assured me as he kissed me deeply until I was panting a little when he pulled away.

"I love you." I told him as I kissed him lightly on the lips again and then moved towards the driver's side.

"I love you too. I'll see you soon." He promised me and I heaved a sigh and climbed into the driver's seat. Without looking back in fear that I might turn back, I drive off towards my future and thought to myself that it certainly looked pretty damn bright.


	23. Author Note

**Author's Note:**

**Hey there, my amazing readers!**

**Because all the support for Pretty and Perfect, I'm currently working on a sequel for you guys!**

**Edgy and Elegant will be exploring Christa's life and relationships in Season 6 of Gilmore Girls. It should up on my Author Page now!**

**THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!**

**- BehindGrayEyes x**


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